The Man Who Was a Dark Templar
by Super-Loki
Summary: A telepathic human raised by two dark templars developes unique abilities
1. Default Chapter Title

The Man Who Was a Dark Templar

_Whether through the intense subjections of the chemical and surgical procedures done to the Ghost soldiers, or through sheer lack of technique, or a combination of the two, no one knew the true extent of their telepathic brains._

_This is the story of Alex Reeve, a telepathic terran who was saved from the inhuman procedures done to other telepaths.A man who would be raised by an alien, and who would learn abilities that others could only dream of._

_ _

_(Note:My logic is that since when Kerrigan undid the tampering to her mind, she could almost instantly use psionic storms, I supposed that a telepath who started training at a young age would be even more powerful.I hope that doesn't sound too stupid.) _

# Chapter 1: Escape from the Confederacy

_(Note:This first part of the story takes place approximately fifteen or so years before the discovery of the Zerg and Protoss races.) _

** **

Maggie Reeve woke up especially early on her small military issue bed with an intense feeling of sickness in her stomach.The twenty six year old ghost soldier was a medium sized, well-toned athletic girl with dark brown hair.She jerked out of bed and ran straight into her small bathroom and vomited into the toilet.It was a strange feeling for her, considering that she had not been sick since she was five years old.

As a ghost, she had received every available inoculation for disease in existence, as well as receiving immune system boosters, and a controlled diet of specially engineered food.She had learned early on that the military put a lot of extra effort into their most elite and valuable soldiers.

After she was finished vomiting she still felt a little sick, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when she had gotten up.She stoop up in the tiny metallic bathroom and looked into the mirror at her reflection.She noticed that her face was a little white.Seeing with the ocular implants rather than her original human eyes gave her the ability to detect such changes to an incredible degree of precision.

"Sick," she said to herself, "How the hell did you get yourself sick Maggie?"She thought for a minute, and considered that it probably wouldn't be disease or food poisoning.She took a deep breath and then shut her eyes and chanted, "A ghost's mind and body must be one, mind and body as one."She attempted to relieve the feeling of sickness with her limited psionic connection to her own body.

After about thirty seconds she grunted, "Screw this, I'll just call the damn infirmary."She walked the ten feet across her entire metallic quarters minus the bathroom, to the telescreen.She spoke aloud her standard information, "Reeve, Maggie, Ghost number 8714, personal code:91287614B12."When she finished, the telescreen beeped on and the goofy looking silver face of an animated man said, "Good morning Miss Reeve, what can I do for you today?"

Maggie was about to answer when something stopped her, a strong feeling from deep down inside.She didn't know what it was, only that some part of her subconscious mind didn't want to contact the infirmary.She struggled with the feeling, trying to tell herself that it was stupid and that sick people need to go to the doctor, but the feeling over road all logic.In the end, she said, "Computer, end session."The silver face said, "Goodbye Miss Reeve," and the screen blinked off.

She walked around for a minute or so trying to go over what the hell was wrong with her."Maggie, you dumb girl," she said, "If you wake up sick in the morning then you've…." She stopped short in her sentence.Her eyes widened and she exclaimed very slowly, "Morning sickness."She ran across to her medicine cabinet where she had her standard military issue med kit.For some reason, the military had made it their policy in the last few years to issue pregnancy tests to female soldiers.

Even as she began to open the packaging and read the instructions, her mind was racing through all of her leave times.About a month ago on Mar Sara, she had been pretty high that night and didn't quite remember what she had done.That was the only time it could have been, she knew that for a certainty.

The pregnancy tester was a small palm computer with a tube sticking out of the side that she read was for taking blood.She stuck the small device up to her arm and pressed the button, and she felt a small prick in her skin.Then she held it in front of her face, desperately hoping that it would read out negative.She heard three beeps, and then the small black screen read, "Congratulations, you are going to be a mother."

"FUCKING SHIT!" she shouted as she flung the small device across the room, breaking it into five or six pieces.It was so easy to take the small pill; they were practically as common as napkins these days.Just one pill anytime within thirty-six hours before or after intercourse would guarantee that a pregnancy would not occur.She didn't remember taking one, but then again, she didn't remember sleeping with anyone either.

"Damn DL13," she exclaimed.DL13 was the common euphoric drug used by nearly every soldier, as well as some civilians.It was good stuff, a great high without any side effects or addictive properties.It was even sanctioned by the military, and could be bought legally from the trading posts.In the last few decades it and its sister drugs had more or less replaced alcohol, as they were considered to be safer, and their effects could be countered in seconds with antidotes.

And DL3 was safer than alcohol, but you could still do incredibly stupid things if you took too much, which of course she did.And here she was now, stuck with the consequences of a stupid mistake.

When she was done scolding herself, she started thinking about the standard procedure for ghost pregnancies.If the telepathic traits were passed on, and they almost always were, then the child would be taken from its mother from the time of birth.It would then be raised in a laboratory along with others, and the military training would begin around the age of seven or eight.All of the forced chemical and surgical tampering to the child's brain would begin shortly after.Hell, they might even remove the child's eyes and replace them with the ocular implants by thirteen.It always made for superior sniper capabilities.

And then she thought of that part as well.Aside from the incredibly harsh upbringing, the ghost soldier's career was the real worry.Although in the public eye ghosts were proclaimed to be the greatest and most elite soldiers of peace in the universe, the real fact was that they were mostly assassins.There weren't any real enemies to fight, save a few groups here and there whose political ideals were outside the government's range of tolerance.Maggie herself had gone in with a cloaking suit more times than she could stand and, under orders, executed unarmed men and women without even being seen.

Maggie sighed, "Those bastards aren't going to get their hands on any child of mine."Then she thought over her options.She hesitated to consider abortion, though it probably would be a far kinder thing to do than subject a child to the life of a ghost soldier.

But as she thought about abortion, another intense feeling came over her.For all of her life, she had been a soldier, and that was it.As she looked back over her life, there was nothing to be proud of, no real close friendships, no family, and no accomplishments that she would want to brag about.She was nothing but a killing machine, plain and simple.But this, this child, it might be something to change all of that.It was a beautiful life that she had created, an offspring, a baby.

She tried very hard to push these feelings aside, both for her own good, and for the baby's.An escape from the military was an incredibly dangerous thing to try, and it meant certain death for her if she failed.And even if she somehow could, where the hell could she go, she thought.A person couldn't go anywhere without an access code, and the minute she tried to use a civilian one, and the computer's scan for retina signature came up with ocular implants, a light would go on somewhere, and a hundred soldiers would be on her tail in minutes.

Then she thought of the stories she had heard, about the political and religious groups who had retreated to other distant planets capable of supporting life.Maybe they were only stories, she thought, but she knew that there were other inhabitable planets out there, having been to several of them herself on military surveys.

Her heart began to race and she told herself, "Stop it Maggie!This is ridiculous! They'll kill you."She tried to think over all the reports of soldier's attempts to go AWAL that she had read about.Every single one had resulted in either death, or apprehension followed by public execution.But then a smirk came across her face, as she realized that not one of those unsuccessful attempts had been made by a ghost.

Again her heart raced and she began to try to reason with herself, saying, "This is insane Maggie!You have a life to think about." Then she paused and said, "What life? What the hell do I have to lose anyway?"She sat down and thought how many people would cry over her death, and it was a very short list, and she wasn't even sure about the people on it.Finally she said to herself, "Fuck, I'll do it!"

She strapped on a handgun under her shoulder before putting on her jacket, (That was the only weapon that any soldier was aloud to have in their personal quarters so close to an intelligence installation.)

She guessed that her best strategy would be to get to the ghost gear, which would be in the large cement building across the base.She believed that with her wet wear, she might have a very slim chance of escaping with her life.

She ran across the base as fast as she could, wanting to be on her way before the morning sunlight shined in.She got to the door and saw only one guard on duty, and she knew exactly who it was, Johnny Wilkes.Johnny wasn't a ghost; he was just a normal marine who happened to be working for intelligence at the moment.He was a tall stocky man with a shaven head and half shaven beard.

She walked up casually to him and said, "Hey Johnny, I thought they got you off of the graveyard shift."He grunted, "Nah, those assholes caught me doing some DL13 on my shift and this is my damn punishment."She smiled and said, "Yeah, I hear yah.Sometimes this sort of duty is just too boring to stand.Yah got to do something to get by."They both shared a few laughs while talking about things they did while on ten-hour guard shifts.

As they were laughing and talking, she slowly moved in closer and closer to him, with her hand secretly on the handle of her concealed gun.By and by Johnny asked, "Hey Maggie, why are you out here anyway?Ghosts don't usually associate with us lowly marine dogs.And I know you're not out here for the view."She smiled and said, "Oh, I just couldn't sleep so I decided to go for a little walk, and then I saw you standing here, so I decided that you needed company."

Johnny smiled back and said, "Well, I'm always glad to see a pretty lady."Just then she saw her opening, he fully relaxed and was only loosely handling his gun.She jerked her own handgun out and whacked the handle of it into his forehead, knocking him out cold.She caught him before his head hit the ground, so as to prevent any further damage to his skull.She gently laid him down and took his gun and snatched his communicator.Then she looked down at him and said, "Sorry Johnny, I hope you don't get in too much trouble for this."

With that she ran into the warehouse and started searching through the gear.She selected a suite in good condition that had a moebius reactor in it."Wow," she said to herself, "I'll bet I could get an extra two or three minutes of personal cloaking out of every charge with this baby."Then she ran over to the rifles, and found one with lockdown capability.She loaded it up with the highest grade of ammo, and then loaded as many extra clips into her bag as she could fit.It was strange to her, the first time she had fully top of the line gear was when she was going AWAL.

Finally, when she had all the gear she could think of needing, she strapped up and ran out.Johnny was still unconscious, and she was glad of that.She was prepared to kill for this child, but she wanted to try to avoid it.She had dealt out enough death in her life, and finding out that she was a mother was somehow putting all of that into perspective for her.

She moved through the darkness with great stealth, constantly scanning with her ocular implants for any other guards.She didn't want to use her personal cloaking field just yet, for it might become necessary to use it later, and she didn't want the reactor to be recharging then.

She managed to get about half way to the starport before the first signs of morning light began to shine in.That was the danger; the majority of soldiers would be getting up very soon for either breakfast or morning exercises.She could already see the group of cooks working through the window of the mess hall on her left.

She wandered if her little escape attempt really should have been more planned out.But still, there was no turning back now, not with Johnny lying unconscious and a bunch of stolen gear on her back.Nope, she was going to have to deal or die.

She looked desperately for a solution to her problem, and eventually, she found one that might suite her.It was a vulture, zipping around the base with a speed that could only come from ion thrusters.It pulled up next to a SCV that was just starting his duty for the day.The driver of the vulture said, "Yo!I need some damn repairs done boy!Now get off your sorry ass and do it so I can have this baby running before the general wakes up."

If there was one group of people in the military that didn't sit well with Maggie, it was those damn obnoxious vulture drivers.For whatever reason, they seemed to yell rather than talk almost whenever they opened their mouths.

She peered at the ion thrusters on the vulture and realized that they could take her across the rest of the huge installation to the starport in probably less than a minute.And it might not even look suspicious to any of the guards.Or at least, it wouldn't look suspicious enough that they would want to question a vulture rider and get a ten minute barrage of cursing from them for being bothered.

Maggie turned on the personal cloaking field and moved in quietly.She hit the rider in the back of the head very hard, perhaps a little harder than she had intended to.The SCV worker had his back turned, and didn't seem to have noticed anything.Maggie used her psionically-enhanced strength to quickly drag the rider behind a supply depot.There, she took off his jacket and bandanna and put them on so that she could pass as a rider, at least from a distance.

Then she went visible and walked up to the SCV and said in a very authoritative voice, "Hey pal, we're going to be constructing a few Behemoth Battlecruisers, and we need at least six more supply depots.Why don't you get started on that right now and I'll mention your extra initiative to the general."The SCV worker nodded and finished up on the bike quickly, and then headed over to begin working.She knew that any SCV worker wouldn't bother to question orders, they would just do as they were told.

She jumped on the vulture bike, trying very hard to remember the basic operation of a vehicle of that type.She had ridden one a few years before, and hadn't really been all that good at it.These controls were somewhat different than the model that she had rode, and she was having a small bit of difficulty.

After about five or six minutes she still wasn't sure, but the adrenaline rush she got from seeing the soldiers beginning to walk out of their bunkers forced her to go anyway.She pressed a few buttons hopefully and then twisted the throttle.

The bike lunged ahead at such a speed that her head slammed into the back of her seat.It went furiously fast, much faster than she wanted to go.The damn ion thrusters were moving the bike faster than a plane. It was about a ten second gap between the time that the great starport was a blur in the horizon, and when she came to a screeching halt right in front of it.Her heart hadn't raced like that since the first time she had gone into battle.

Just as she was stepping off of the bike, she heard the alert sound around the base."Crap!" she said to herself.She sat back down on the bike and moved her hands to the weapon controls.There, she dropped every spider mine in the bike right out in front of the starport, incase they tried to get to her before she got a ship.She tried to be careful to spread them out enough so that they wouldn't all set off the first time someone came, but she didn't really know what she was doing in the first place.

When she was finished, she ran into the metallic elevator on the side of the starport and took it up to the ship storage level.She looked around; there were three wraiths on standby, one-drop ship, and a science vessel.She picked one of the wraiths, and jumped in.

Luckily for her, Maggie had played with the flight simulators as a hobby long ago, at least as much as the military would allow her to do so.She had always wanted to be a pilot, but she had learned that because of confederate policy, telepathic humans had two choices in life: become ghosts, or commit suicide.

The wraith's controls system wasn't that different than those in the simulator.The weapons systems were of course foreign to her, but as she looked at them she realized that they were pretty obvious.

Just then she heard another siren and a computerized voice said, "All soldiers are ordered to search the base for Maggie Reeve.She is a ghost and is considered armed and dangerous.Orders are shoot to kill."Maggie's heart began to race and she turned on the wraith's engines and started to pull out of the starport.But then her soldier's training kicked in, and instead of panicking, she thought about her situation logically.The wraith that she was in had been equipped with a cloaking device, and she knew that the only mobile unite that could track a cloaked wraith in space would be a science vessel.And there one was, on the ready to track her.

Her fingers danced around the controls until she got to the weapons systems and started firing at the science vessel.It took six or seven hits to demolish the thing, and in that time the enemy had probably figured out where she was based on the noise.When she was finished she flipped on the cloaking device and zipped out of the starport as fast as the ship would go.

She knew that everyone below would see a blur, but not a single targeting system in the terran military would allow a shot to be fired without a verified target.Not even the marines could fire their guns without one.She almost laughed at the stupid computers that the confederacy was using, for the ridiculous technology was saving her life.

Just then she felt a violent jerk that made her think she had spoken too soon.She looked down out of the window and saw a missile turret already firing a second shot at her.She exclaimed, "You're a ghost Maggie!You're supposed to know that those damn things can see cloaked units!"

She swerved to the side, but she took two more hits before she was clear, and the damage report on the wraith's computer was pretty serious.She wanted to just fly straight up, away from danger, but she knew that the wraith had to be in space flight mode before it would do that.She flipped a few switches and selected deep space mode on the screen, and there was a loud hissing noise.The cabin fully pressurized and the propulsion system changed for zero oxygen.

Then things started to get bumpy, as the new propulsion configuration seemed to be having trouble in the oxygen rich environment.It donned on her just how little she really knew about wraiths, and that she just might have done something horribly wrong.But suddenly the wraith went vertical and zoomed up into the sky.

She was out in space about three minutes after that, looking out into the clarity of the stars, and back at the planet she had just left, which was only a sphere in space now.She kept looking back, and didn't see anyone following her.She began to wander just how real the stories of all the unsuccessful escape attempts were.She had escaped using her personal cloaking field only once, and she was somewhat confident that she could have found a way to get by without it.Surely, she thought, there are many marines who could escape, and probably have.She began to feel hope that she really would find other people out there.She felt so stupid for letting the confederacy manipulate her so much into fearing them.

Right about then the Apollo reactor that was powering the wraith's cloaking field ran out and shut down to recharge.And just as the ship went visible, she saw the tactical screen go on and flash that there were two other wraiths, which had locked on to her and were in pursuit.She knew immediately that they were the two that she had left back at the starport.They didn't have their cloaking fields up, which made her nervous, considering that theirs were fully charged and on the ready, while hers was only beginning to charge.Still, they weren't in firing range, and weren't so much gaining on her as keeping pace with her, so she wasn't in any immediate danger that she could see.

She quickly focused on the controls again, and found the warp drive controls.She brought up the menu on the screen and selected a habitable but uninhabited planet called Vhas about eight light years away.She knew that the others could tail her through hyperspace, but she decided that she would worry about that when it happened.For the time being, she was doing great, and in truth, she hadn't genuinely expected get as far as she was.

She gave the computer it's final confirmation and it's warp drives engaged.The space around her turned to a swirling blue, and for a few seconds, the temperature inside of the wraith heated up before the environmental system adjusted for it.

She looked at the screen and the computer read that the warp trip was estimated to take seven hours and seventeen minutes.She sighed and looked down at her stomach, saying, "Well kid, maybe we've got a shot."

Maggie programmed the wraith's computer to give off an alert about ten minutes before dropping out of warp, and then she began to talk to her stomach.She didn't really feel crazy doing it, considering that she already talked to herself.She told her unborn child all about the things she wanted for it, and how much of a good mother she was going to try to be.And so many other pointless one-sided conversations that sprang up purely out of boredom.After about an hour though, she stopped talking, and just sat back watching the timer.

For the first few hours, she still felt very nervous, but at some point in there it faded away.She decided that for the first time in her life she had fought for something good and pure instead of just following orders.And she decided that even if she died at this point, she actually had something to be proud of in her life:That she had given up everything for her child.

Indeed, she even felt calm, but as the computer beeped that they were nearing the end of the warp, the adrenaline set right back in.She looked back through the hyperspace field.She of course knew that she couldn't have seen the other ships inside of it, but she couldn't help it anyhow.

The seconds now counted down like needles in her skin, each one seemed to make her almost jump.As a ghost soldier, this nervousness was not normal, but as a mother, she didn't really know what to think.The worry was not for her own life, but for her child's, and it was an intense feeling.

Finally she dropped out of warp into normal space, and the bright blue turned into black with white dots.The temperature dropped to freezing inside of the cabin for a few seconds before the ship's heaters automatically kicked in.And there she saw it, the beautiful blue and green world of Vhas.It was so richly strewn with plant and animal life."If there really are other terrans who have escaped," she said to herself, "Then surely they must have gone to a place like this."She looked down at her stomach and said, "Maybe we'll find friends here."

Just then the two wraiths dropped out of warp, and she flipped on the cloaking device just in time to avoid their fire.She desperately worked with her ship's controls and maneuvered down into the planet's atmosphere.She was trying desperately to hurry, for if she did, they might lose sight of her blurry image and then she could lose them and land and ditch the ship, and then they might never find her.

She looked back at the two other wraiths, which still didn't have their cloaking devices on.She wandered why.And then, she saw something else drop out of warp, a science vessel.She saw the face of a nerdy little man come onto her communications screen.He seemed to be smirking at her.He said, "You messed up my vessel pretty bad you stupid girl, but how long do you think it takes twenty SCV's to put one of these things back together?"

She didn't respond, knowing that if she did it would probably give her position away.But it didn't matter, because a second after that an EMP shockwave was fired in her direction and all of the power in the Apollo reactor drained to nothing instantly.The wraiths cloaking field dissolved and she was now visible to her enemies even outside of the range of the science vessel.Even the Moebius reactor inside of her ghost suit was drained to zero.

"SHIT!" she shouted.She knew that her wraith was already badly damaged, and one hit would probably blow the damn thing up.She desperately plunged towards the planet, not having any idea how to survive much longer.

Just then, in the madness, she felt something very strange, it was a telepathic sensation.A connection to another telepath, but it was intense, and unlike connecting with any ghost that she knew.It was so very different.The danger that she was in momentarily went out of her mind as she realized that whatever being she was sensing, was not human.

-To be continued 


	2. Default Chapter Title

**Chapter 2:A New Home**

****_(Note:Although the conclave was aware of the terran presence, most of the dark templars still had no idea that there was such a race.At least that's my theory, heheh.I also made a leap in logic that the telepathy between a protoss and a terran would be different than either one would have with another member of their own race.)_

** **

****Zosh, the young protoss dark Templar looked over at his very old mother Areha.Areha was one of the oldest dark templars alive and her eyes showed her age to her loyal son.After her husband of over eight hundred years (in terran time) had died, she had decided to live out her remaining years peacefully communing with nature on the uninhabited world of Tulmar (the world known as Vhas to the terrans).She had simply lost her taste for social life without her husband.She was sitting on her bed in her converted cave.The cave had a single miniature pylon in it and a few appliances, but otherwise it looked like a regular cave, though be it a very well lit one. 

The one person that she cared to have in her presence was hers and her husband's only offspring, their son Zosh.Zosh tried to visit as much as he could, knowing that his mother would not be around much longer.Here, he saw her shut her eyes and begin trembling.A strong sensation of fear went through his body and he cried, "Mother!"

While keeping her eyes shut, she said in an astonished voice, "Zosh, can you not feel her?It is amazing."

"Feel who?What are you talking about?" asked Zosh.

"It's so strange, I don't know.It is a telepath, but not a dark templar," she uttered slowly.

Zosh clenched his fist and said, "It must be one of our former brethren then.Those who cast us out, one of the wretched conclave."

"No, she isn't.She's not a protoss at all, she's something else altogether," said Areha.

Upon hearing this, Zosh sighed, as he remembered that his mother was a very old woman, and her mind might very well be deteriorating.He decided to humor her, and he said, "There, there mother, I think you need some rest."

Areha opened her eyes and looked at her son in almost disbelief, she said, "Listen to me Zosh, I may be very old, but my mind hasn't gone yet.Now I am telling you that there is another telepathic being out there, and she is in danger.We must help her!"

Zosh did not believe his mother, but he decided to go along with her out of respect anyhow.He said, "Alright mother, tell me where this person is.I'll do whatever you wish."

Areha could sense the disbelief in her son, but she pushed the feeling aside for the urgency of the situation.She and he walked out of the cave into the jungle fields and she pointed off to the right and said, "This way, we must hurry."Zosh nodded and said, "Alright, let's go in my corsair."Areha replied, "You go in your ship, I wish to go on foot."

"I'm not letting you go on foot alone," said Zosh firmly.Areha sighed, "Then I guess we shall both go on foot."Zosh sighed, "Fine mother, I know better than to argue with you."

"Don't worry my son, I'm not going to lead you on a pointless search.She is heading almost in this very direction, so it shouldn't take long."

The warp trip had apparently taken its toll on Maggie's wraith, for it was having trouble staying air born.She knew it was a risk taking a damaged ship into hyperspace anyway, so it wasn't much of a shocker.What was really worrying her was the fact that the other two wraiths and the science vessel were gaining on her now that she was having trouble flying.

She just needed about two more minutes for her Moebius reactor to charge up in her suite, as well as the larger Apollo reactor of the ship.Then if she did everything just right, she might be able to still pull off an escape, though her plan was not that plausible.Her plan was to wait until they were just about within firing range of her, and then carefully and somehow safely, open the hatch to the wraith, stand up while still in flight, fire a lockdown round at the science vessel taking out its scanning abilities, and then turn on the wraith's cloaking device.Then, she could fly over undetectable, and take out the science vessel before it came out of lockdown.

Even as she went over the plan in her mind she saw how ridiculous and desperate it was, but still, it was all she had, and since she would die anyway if she didn't, she figured, "What the hell?"

When the other two wraiths and the science vessel were just about to close in on her, and her ship was flying very low to the ground, she pulled the lever, gave the command for the safety override, and popped the hatch.Unfortunately, the hatch got caught in the wind sheer and tore off.But she ignored that fact and kneeled backwards and aimed.She fired, and the lockdown shell went right to its mark.To her dismay though, just before it hit, the science vessel released a special round of it's own.Another EMP, which hit right within the vicinity of her ship, as well as that of the other two wraiths.All three ships, as well as Maggie's suit, were drained of cloaking ability.

Just then Maggie's ship went a little too low to the ground and part of its lower laser cannon caught on some sort of thick and low to the ground tree.The entire plane was violently thrown into a forward tumble.Since Maggie was not strapped into the cockpit, she was thrown free of the crash that followed.

As Maggie flew through the air she faintly heard her wraith exploding, but it didn't even register.Her mind was busy having her whole life flash before her eyes.That ten seconds or so that she was in the air seemed to last for an eternity.But little did she know, that luck would be on her side for once.

She saw rocks in front of her as she fell forward, and it looked like she was headed for the tips of those rocks.But her estimation was slightly off, and she flew over, instead of into the rocks.And right behind the rocks was a small lake, perhaps about thirty meters or so across.

She was flying into the water, and there was a small chance that she might survive, but not if she went in face first, for that would certainly break her neck at the speed she was going.She didn't know how she did it, but she managed to force herself into a roll in the split second or so that she had to maneuver.And she hit feet first into the water.It took all of her psionic strength to keep her back from breaking as her body jerked out of motion so quickly.

It hurt, everything hurt, but the pain told her that she was alive.Due to the weight of her gear, she sank to the bottom of the lake.She flapped furiously to get to the waters edge.She guessed that she would have enough power to go into cloak for at least a short time very soon.The cat and mouse game was getting more and more strenuous, but she was willing to stick it out to the bitter end.

The two pilots had seen all of this in a blur, and neither one of them suspected that someone could survive something like that.Still, intelligence would not be satisfied with something like that.They needed a dead body to bring back, or at least, a big enough part of one.They lowered their wraiths next to the lake and got ready to go fishing, so to speak.

Just then they saw Maggie desperately crawl up out of the water.She tried quickly to flip on her cloaking field, but it still didn't have enough power.The two men aimed at her before she could even grab her gun, so she just let herself fall on her back, so that she could die peacefully.One of the pilots aimed his gun at her head, but the other one stopped him and said, "This bitch has given us a lot of trouble, do you really want to give her an easy painless death like that?"The other pilot smirked and said, "I see your point."

The two pilots walked up to Maggie and one of them kicked her gun away.Then he said, "You've had your little fun deserter, but now it's time to suffer."He carefully aimed at her lower right leg with his handgun.

Just then Maggie again sensed the alien presence.She had thought that she had imagined it before, but now it came in clear as a bell.She looked over instinctively, and saw two blurs coming towards her.They looked the way that ghosts looked when using their personal cloaking fields, only the shape seemed a little different.

The pilot had selected the place on her leg her wanted to shoot first, and he said, "This is for dragging us so far out into space!"But before he could fire, something invisible sliced through his neck, and his severed head fell on the ground.The second pilot screamed, "HOLY SHIT!" and he urinated in his pants.Suddenly, there was a spray off blood from his stomach, and the upper and lower halves of his body fell separated from each on the ground.

Maggie was paralyzed with fear, and she screamed.Just then, two translucent figures appeared in front of her, and they were not human.Maggie was about to pass out when she heard a female voice echo in her mind, "Be not afraid, we are here to help you."She and the strange alien woman looked directly into each other's eyes, and they experienced a telepathic bond with one another that neither of them had ever experienced anything like before.They shared thoughts, memories, and feelings with one another.

They stayed looking into each other's eyes for about two or three minutes before Zosh said, "Mother, what is going on here?"Areha turned and looked at her son and pointed and said, "Zosh, get your corsair and destroy the science vessel over there."

Zosh nodded and started running, but on the way, he said to himself, "Science vessel?"It was a generic enough name to be a guess, but the way his mother had said it made him think that she knew exactly what she was talking about.He wandered just how strong of a telepathic bond his mother and this strange creature were sharing.

He ran as fast as he could to his corsair and lifted off immediately.He flew back to where his mother had pointed, and sure enough, there was a strange looking hovering vessel in front of him.He was uneasy about attacking a strange alien craft that he knew nothing about, but he decided to do as his mother had told him anyhow.

Since he couldn't fire while moving, he zipped up close enough before firing that he could get off numerous shots before the ship would be able to get out of range.He pulled up almost under the alien ship before firing his first shot.

The scientist in the vessel was so shocked to see a yellow alien craft that he didn't even think to retreat from it.And even when the first shot came out of the alien craft, the scientist did not understand what was going on.By about the third shot he realized that he was being attacked, but by then it was too late.He desperately tried to pull away, but almost as he started moving the science vessel took it's final hit and exploded.

After that, Zosh flew back to where he had left his mother and the alien, and he was a little worried when he didn't see them there.He headed back to his mother's home and ran in, and was relieved to see them both sitting and talking.

Zosh approached slowly and cautiously and said, "Is this, I mean, my lady, are you, a Xel Nagga?"Areha looked over at her son and said, "No Zosh, she is a terran."Zosh repeated, "A terran."

Maggie was surprised at how calm she was to be in the presence of aliens, especially when she had just seen one of them cut to men in half using what seemed to be, his mind.The realization that not only intelligent aliens existed, but also that she was the first one ever to make contact with them should have exited her much more; she knew it should have.But it somehow seemed perfectly natural to her.

It was because of the telepathic bonding that she and Areha had gone through.Indeed, they had almost traded pieces of each other.That was the natural feeling that was there, in the twenty or so minutes that they had known each other, there were as close as two life long friends could have been.They understood the way each other thought, and respected one another.

Maggie had learned that Areha and Zosh were both protoss, and that he was her son.She knew that they were from an exiled group known as the dark templar, and she even knew a little of the origins of the dark templar.It was all so very fast, and yet, so very familiar.

Zosh was very much the uneasy one in the situation, and he said, "If you're not a Xel Nagga, then might you be another creation of theirs as we are?"As much information as Maggie had gotten out of the bond, she did not know who or what the Xel Nagga were.She said, "Who are the Xel Nagga and why do you think that they have anything to do with me or my race?"

Areha broke in and said, "We all have many questions that we would like to ask, but there will be time for all of that later."Then Areha looked over at Maggie and said, "You need food and some rest right now, for you are with child."

Hearing this made Zosh even more exited and uneasy and he exclaimed, "Pregnant! How are we supposed to deliver a baby of one of these things?"

Areha said sharply, "Zosh, we do not refer to our guests as _things._And don't worry, she's not going to give birth today.Now be the polite son that I've raised you to be and get out guest some fresh fruits.And while you're at it, kill a large mammal for her, I believe her species requires protein."

Zosh nodded uneasily and walked out, almost glad for a chance to be separated from the situation for a little while.The fact that there was another telepathic race in the universe did not sit well with him, especially since he had just witnessed them making war on each other.He was reminded of the stories his father had told him about the aeon of strife.The incredibly long and bloody war that countless thousands and even millions of protoss must have died in.And even the final resolution of the war eventually lead to the exile of the dark templar from Aiur.And even the exile had been first intended to be their execution.

Zosh had thought over all of this many times, and he had always felt so troubled that his people gave in to hatred so easily sometimes.He didn't believe that the protoss were evil, just that they perhaps needed guidance.He had dreamed a few times of a great and benevolent telepathic race that might come and teach the protoss the error of their ways, so that they might all live in peace some day.

But here, seeing another telepathic race, of which at least three members of were trying to kill a pregnant mother, it bothered him.For it was driving him to a harsh philosophical conclusion, that war and hatred were simply inevitable and inescapable in the universe.

Back in the cave, Areha was trying very hard to make Maggie comfortable, and Maggie was trying very hard not to trouble her host.Areha felt a great deal of sympathy for the terran creature that she had bonded with.Through their bonding, Areha had seen the horrors of the terran military that took place in the terran academies and science facilities regularly.She had seen the tampering, the forced training, the forced removal of Maggie's eyes, and their uncomfortable replacements.She had seen a young girl ripped away from her parents and raised in what could be called a prison.

Even in Aiur's worst days, there had always been an importance placed on family.But in the terran society, it was commonplace for the military to claim a child the second it was out of the womb.In deed, Areha could not judge Maggie for the times that she killed, for she had been brainwashed to follow any and all orders given to her no matter what.She wandered how, in such a society, anyone managed to feel anything.It was for that reason, that Areha felt so much respect for Maggie Reeve, for she had overcome all of her programming, and fought to save her child from the life that she had endured.There was great nobility in that, in Areha's eyes.This was all compounded by Maggie's age, considering that if she were protoss, Maggie would still be considered a child.

"Will others come here searching for you?" asked Areha.

"Well, I would say that if no one comes in the next hour, then no one else has followed, because that's about how long a warp trail is detectible.So if someone is coming, then they've already left."Maggie's expression became more serious and she said, "If someone does come, I don't want you or your son risking your lives for me.I'll try to make another run for it."

"I'm not about to let you get killed," said Areha.

"I'm grateful, but this isn't your fight," said Maggie.

"Do you think that we are so helpless?" asked Areha."I may live alone, but I still have many friends on Shakuras, including even the matriarch herself.I'm not going to let the terran confederacy touch you."Then Areha added, "If you don't want to accept help for your own sake, then let it be for the sake of your child."

Maggie sighed, "Alright," realizing that she was defeated.

Areha left Maggie to rest and recover from her ordeal, and walked out of her cave.She summoned her son telepathically.Within about ten minutes Zosh came walking out of the trees carrying a large container of fruit he had gathered.

"What is it mother?" he asked.

"Zosh, I need to talk to you about something very serious now, but first, I need you to promise that whatever I say to you here will not be repeated."

Zosh found the request very strange coming from his mother, but he agreed.

She began speaking very seriously, "The tribes have known about terrans for some time now, just as the conclave has.But it was kept a secret from the population for an important reason."

Zosh could barely believe what he was hearing, and said, "What possible reason would there be for covering up the existence of another telepathic race?"

"Well, the tribes were never sure that the terrans were telepathic at all.You see, some of our spies reported sensing what they thought were psychic emanations from some humans, but not from others.But what they did know for sure was that the terrans were a warlike and dangerous people.

The tribe leaders knew that there were many dark templars who would wish to seek out another telepathic people.Life on Shakuras is sometimes a struggle, and we are a lonely and forsaken people.You can imagine the feelings that such a discovery would spark.And we couldn't have that."

"Why not?" said Zosh.

"Because the terran race is dangerous, and we do not want to risk contact with them.If their confederacy learned of the protoss, there would surely be much bloodshed to follow.As a people, they generally have little respect for life.Their confederacy would seek to conquer the protoss, and however ridiculous an ambition that would be, they would almost certainly bring great destruction before they were defeated.These people will even use atomic and nuclear weapons and irradiate worlds to win a war.

Zosh my son, think about it, you know deep down that we made the correct decision in keeping the discovery of terrans a secret."

Zosh sighed, for he couldn't really argue with the decision, and yet, he still felt betrayed by the tribal leaders.

Areha let her son sit in thought for a few minutes.Eventually she said, "Our guest tells me that there is a possibility that more terrans will follow her here.We should know in a short time if they're coming or not.If they do come, I don't want you to engage them yourself, just lead them away and call in reinforcements."

Zosh said firmly, "I will call if that is your wish, but I am not a coward."

"You are not acting as a dark templar today, you are acting as my son, and I want you to do as I say."The way she spoke was so firm that he was having trouble finding the will to defy her.

Whether it was out of pity for her old age or respect, or a combination of the two, he could not bring himself to argue with his mother.He sighed, "As you wish mother."And he went to his corsair.

To everyone's great relief, no one else came after Maggie Reeve, which surprised the ghost soldier very much.

That night, Areha said to her guest, "I would like it very much if you stayed here with me, at the very least until your child is born."The request surprised Zosh more than it did Maggie, but he kept quiet and waited to hear the strange creature's response.

Maggie didn't respond right away, and Areha added, "I know what you're thinking of, but don't worry, you won't be any trouble.I can have Zosh bring a few probes to help us out.And I don't want to stress the point too strongly, but I don't think that you have anywhere else to go."

"You're right about that, it's just that, well, no one's ever been this generous to me before.And I understand that you came out here to be alone."

"I did, but I don't mind one companion, in fact, it would give me great joy to have a baby around.I'm not asking you out of pity, I promise.I really would like you to stay with me," said Areha.

"In that case, nothing would make me happier," said Maggie.

This made Zosh very uncomfortable.He didn't trust the strange monkey like creature to be left alone with his mother.He waited for a few hours until the terran went to sleep and then he walked outside of the cave with his mother and said, "I'm trying very hard to have faith in your judgment mother, but I'm worried about this."

"My son, you cannot imagine what the telepathic bonding with this creature was like.Their telepathy is so very different than our own.I was almost fully engulfed in her mind, and she in mine.I won't hide it from you; she was a soldier and a killer.But none of that was by her choice, and that part of her life is over now.I know that I can trust her.If you can't, then trust me, I am perfectly safe with this terran."

Zosh sighed, "Alright mother, but I still don't like it."

-To be continued 


	3. Default Chapter Title

**Chapter 3:Little Alex**

** **

****Eight months seemed to pass very quickly for Maggie, for the peaceful existence was such a relief from the life of a ghost.She and Areha had wonderful conversations, and Maggie kept herself busy playing with either of the two wraiths that were left over from the group sent to kill her.All and all, it was like some blissful dream to her.

Zosh had brought two probes to help out, but Maggie's ghost training and psionic connection to her body aloud her to deal with the extra weight and strain on her body from the baby quite easily.And besides, the damn things wouldn't respond to voice commands, they had to be commanded in the way that protoss communicate, through a unique form of telepathy.Indeed, Maggie could never really tell if it was sound coming out of Areha when she spoke, or if it was purely mental.Either way, it was very difficult for Maggie to master the ability to command the little drones, and so she tried to not to use them if she could help it.

Zosh visited about once a month, and he was gradually warming up to Maggie.And though Areha was great company, she was the only other sentient being on the planet, so Maggie found herself looking forward to Zosh's visits.By his sixth visit, they were talking and laughing together as great friends.She could make him laugh harder than anyone else he knew.He even promised to be there when her child was born.

He wished very much that he could take her to Shakuras to have a doctor do the job, but he knew that he couldn't tell anyone else about Maggie.

When the time was about right, Zosh took time off and went to stay with Maggie and his mother.He guessed that he might be there for many days, and he knew his frequent time off was affecting his tribal career.His goal was to become executor by his hundredth birthday, an impressive accomplishment to be sure, but at this point it probably wasn't that likely to happen.He didn't mind though, for family was far more important to him.And he was beginning to think of Maggie Reeve as family.

About a week after Zosh arrived, Maggie finally went into labor.In the early stages Areha calmly held Maggie's hand while Zosh frantically paced back and fourth and said, "It will be alright, it will be alright."

When the baby started coming out, it was Areha who guided its head.Zosh kneeled over Maggie and nervously kept saying, "Don't worry Maggie, don't worry Maggie."It was obvious to both Maggie and Areha that he was the most worried of the three of them.

Finally Maggie gave one final grunt and then heard the sound of a baby crying.Zosh peered at the tiny infant and exclaimed, "It's a boy, I think…"

Maggie peered at her child and said, "Yes, he's a boy."Areha extended her very old Psi-blade and carefully and precisely severed the umbilical chord and then she wrapped up the child in a blanket and handed him to his mother.

Maggie looked into the baby's eyes and said excitedly, "Hi, I'm your mommy."

A few minutes later Maggie said, "I never knew my father, but I found out a few years ago that his name was Alexander.I think I'll name my son _Alex_ after him."

Zosh didn't like the name, and he sighed, "Well, he's your son."

Areha peered into the little baby's eyes and said, "Hello little Alex."

A little while later, after they had all taken turns holding the baby, they let it go to sleep in the cradle that Zosh had made for it.

Zosh stayed for about a week after Alex's birth, much to Maggie's liking.He enjoyed holding the small terran baby.On the first day he had almost tried to feed Alex small pieces of fruit, but Areha had stopped him and reminded him that terrans were mammals, and they needed mother's milk in their early stages.

Finally Zosh was forced to go back to Shakuras, but he promised to return very soon.

Maggie used the field medical kit from one of the wraiths.It came with a few inoculations for the unlikely occurrence of field births, as well as a few immune system boosting drugs that she couldn't pronounce the names of.She administered them to Alex to keep him from getting sick.After she did this, she felt a little better about having her son on an alien world, light years away from the nearest doctor.

Maggie was so happy with raising her child that a whole year passed by incredibly quickly.By that time, Zosh had more or less put his career on hold and spent every other week with the three of them.When Maggie was talking to her baby, she always referred to the dark templar as Uncle Zosh, which Zosh found to his liking.He always brought gifts for his surrogate nephew, and enjoyed playing with him very much.He found it very difficult not to talk about his secret life when he was on Shakuras.

Around the time that Alex was a year and a half old, it became apparent that he was already developing his telepathy. He learned to communicate with his mind even faster than he learned to talk.By the age of two he could already tepathically command the probes better than his mother.

The speed of Alex's development, both physically and mentally, astonished the two protoss.They knew that the terrans' life spans were much shorter than their own, and they would probably develop a little faster, but still it amazed them.

One day when Alex was almost four years old, he looked up at his mother and said, "Mommy, what's a ghost soldier?"She became upset and said, "Where did you hear that term?"

"It's from your mind," he said innocently.

"Oh Alex, please don't go into mommy's mind, there are many secrets in there that I don't want you to know.Sometimes I forget that you never underwent the treatments that I did.Your abilities are so much greater than mine, and I need you not to use them to look inside of my mind.Please do as I tell you Alex."

"Ok mommy," he said."But can I still look inside of uncle Zosh's mind?"

"Have you been inside his head?" she asked.

"Yes, he's a lot harder than you, but easier than Aunt Areha.He worries about us a lot.His and aunt Areha's minds are so much different then yours.They have something, I can feel it, it's electricity I think.I think that's how they turn invisible.I want to turn invisible, but it's too hard."

Maggie smiled at her son and said, "They're protoss, and we're terrans, we can't do the same things as them."

"I think I can mommy, I really want to," he said.

She sighed, "Well, you can try all you want, just don't let it get in the way of your chores.Oh, and don't go poking around in anyone's mind without their permission."

About a month later, Zosh and Alex were playing catch with a small rubber ball.Alex had the ball in his hand and he threw it hard to Zosh.Alex was already picking up on his mother's psionic strength enhancing training, and he threw the ball over Zosh's head to about fifty meters past his uncle.Zosh laughed, you're going to have to stop doing that Alex.

Zosh walked through the grass to get the ball.He walked slowly and it was taking him a while, and Alex's child mind got bored.He shut his eyes and started concentrating on other things, and he didn't even hear Zosh shout, "Here it comes."

Zosh couldn't see that Alex's eyes were shut, so he just threw the ball.The ball flew high up before it started coming back down almost directly at Alex's head.Maggie was watching the two of them from her seat below a tree, and she shouted, "Alex, catch the ball."

Alex didn't seem to hear her, and he kept shutting his eyes.The ball came down fast and hard, but just as it was about to hit Alex, it bounced, and there was a twanging sound and for a second, a blue oval field around Alex's body glowed.

"What the hell?" shouted Maggie.She looked over at Zosh and exclaimed, "Did you just see that?"

Zosh didn't answer, but his widened eyes showed his extreme astonishment.He ran up to Alex and peered closely at the young boy and said, "Alex, what did you just do?"

Alex opened his eyes and said innocently, "I don't know."

Zosh thought for a minute and said, "When I threw you the ball just now, what were you thinking about?"

Alex became nervous and said, "I don't want to tell."

"Please tell me Alex" persisted Zosh.

"Well, do you promise you won't get mad at me?"

"Yes, I promise," said Zosh.

"Ok, my mom told me not to do it, but I wanted to turn invisible like you do sometimes.I went into your memories and tried to learn how to do it.I learned what it felt like from your head, but I can't seem to do it.When you threw the ball, I was thinking about what it felt like in your head to turn invisible."

By this time, Maggie had come over and she said, "What is he talking about Zosh?"

Zosh took a minute before he responded, for he was deep in thought.When he did respond, he said, "We dark templar use our psionic plasma shields to bend light around ourselves.It takes many years to master.I think that Alex went into my mind and somehow copied the first part of that ability, the psionic plasma shield."

"He can do that?" exclaimed Maggie.Then she looked her son in the face and exclaimed, "You can do that?"

"I don't know," said Alex, somewhat afraid of how loudly his mother had spoken to him.

She calmed down and said, "Alex, I want you to think about the same thing again."

"Ok mommy," he said, shutting his eyes.

She tossed a small pebble at his chest gently, and as it suddenly bounced before hitting Alex, a three dimensional blue oval around Alex's body became visible for about a second.

Zosh exclaimed, "This is incredible!He was somehow able to pick up a sensation from my mind and copy it, and learn the protoss primal ability to create a protective plasma shield.I never would have dreamed…" He put his hands on Alex's shoulders and said excitedly, "Alex, I'll teach you to turn invisible if you want.Would you like that?"

"Yeah!" shouted Alex with a huge grin on his face.

Maggie broke in saying, "Uh, are you sure that's safe for him?"

"Oh of course it is," said Zosh.

Alex said quickly, "Please mommy."

Maggie thought for a minute and said, "Well, I—guess, but only if you promise to only practice when either uncle Zosh or Aunt Areha is watching you."

"I promise," said Alex.

After that day, Zosh started coming to stay with them even more than he already was, and he tried to help Alex everyday to practice his dark templar skills.But even though Alex was an exceptionally patient boy, due to living on a secluded planet with only three others, he still wasn't content with his progress.He kept going into Zosh's head and trying to fully copy the technique.

About a week after Alex's fifth birthday, in the evening shortly after dinner, Alex got his wish and went invisible in front of everyone.Maggie was sipping some water at the time, and she spit it out in shock, all over Zosh.Even though she had seen Zosh and Areha turn invisible many times, the sight of her son doing it still alarmed her very much, and since Alex wasn't moving, they couldn't even see a blur. She shouted, "Alex!WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Here I am mommy," said Alex, becoming visible right in front of her.

Zosh shouted, "How did you do that?"

"The same way you do uncle Zosh," said Alex.

"No, but I mean, how did you master that ability so quickly. No protoss has ever mastered the dark templar technique in such an incredibly short time.How could you possibly do that?"

Maggie answered for her son, saying, "Because he didn't learn it through discipline like you did.He took the skill that you spent all those years mastering, and copied the end result right out of your head."She glared at her son and said sharply, "I told you not to do that!You're going to bed early tonight, and you're on restriction for a week."

Alex cried as his mother dragged him to his room in the cave that had been carved for him by the probes.

Zosh looked over at Areha and said, "I never realized how strong terran's minds are."Areha sighed, "Well, I thinks it's more than that.I think that a protoss and a terran can connect far differently than either can connect with members of their own race. When Maggie first got here, our two minds connected in a more complete way than I ever even connected with your father's.I didn't just get thoughts, I got feelings, and for a moment, I knew what it felt like to be a terran."

"But still," exclaimed Zosh, "Dark templar abilities in under a year?"

"Apparently so," sighed Areha."Haven't you ever connected with Maggie's mind?"

"Well, I try not to, out of respect, but I have subconsciously done it a few times."He then added with a chuckle, " She thinks about the act of mating A LOT!I think that terrans must put a great deal more importance on the physical part of the relationship than we do."

Areha made no comment on this.She changed the subject and said, "You should bring an observer back next time you go to Shakuras.Alex is a good boy, but he's still a boy, and next time he doesn't want to listen to his mother, well, no child should be able to disappear at will."

"Good thinking mother," said Zosh.

Another year passed, and Alex's strength and control of his psionic abilities grew all the time.The issue of disappearing and running away from his mother came up only once, and it ended quickly with the help of an observer and some sharp punishment.Alex wasn't really a difficult child though, for some of the protoss patience was rubbing off on him through his continued telepathic connection to Zosh and Areha.He didn't even put up a struggle when his mother started teaching him to read.

He could probably have learned the ability incredibly quickly from his mother, but he had sensed how strongly that she wanted him out of her mind and he decided to obey her.However, he made no such restraints when Zosh started teaching him to read protoss.

The only reason that Alex wanted to read terran at all was so that he could be aloud to fly the wraiths, which his mother promised him he could when he was fully able to operate the craft's computer systems.She took him up in the air every so often with her to keep his mind on the goal.

All and all, everyone was very happy with the way their lives were going.And neither Maggie nor Alex suffered from the incredible seclusion of their existence.

-To be continued


	4. Default Chapter Title

**Chapter 4:Tragedy, and goodbyes**

** **

****One day, when Alex was a little over six years old, Maggie was on one of her joy rides in one of the wraiths.She was flying just outside of the planet's atmosphere because complicated maneuvers were so much easier without the cumbersome force of gravity, although at times they were less fun.

She started heading back when suddenly she saw something strange out of the corner of her eye.It was like a giant cross between a crab and an insect, and it had thick pulsing sacks on its belly.She couldn't believe that there were living creatures flying around through space.

She was intrigued, and she reached out with her telepathic senses, and found that the creature was indeed alive and even had a limited intelligence.She wanted a closer look.She flipped on the wraith's cloaking device, to be on the safe side, and moved to within about a thirty meters of the giant organism.

As she got closer, she saw that there was a group of moth-like creatures a little smaller than the wraith flying next to the larger creature.She had the wraith's computer capture a few images of the strange space fairing animals.

Suddenly, the larger creature stopped and turned so that it was facing Maggie's wraith, and one of the moth-like creatures started flying directly at her.She had no idea how the creatures could see her while she was cloaked.Before she could even react, the creature slammed into the front of the wraith and there was an explosion.Maggie was still alive, but the wraith had been heavily damaged, and she could already see a second of the moth creatures coming at her.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Maggie felt the primitive fear for her life that she had thought she might never feel again.She turned the wraith and started flying away, but the second moth creature hit the back of the wraith, exploding, and heavily damaging the engine.She looked at the ship's computer damage report and it looked like the wraith could have been finished off right then with a cork gun.

She started flying as quickly as she could away from the creatures with what little power the engines had left, but she could see a third creature gaining on her, and she knew she was going to die.Almost instinctively she reached out to her son and two friends down on the planet.

Areha was sitting in her home, while Zosh and Alex were out gathering food.All three of them suddenly got Maggie's message that she was about to die.Areha and Zosh got the actual images of the giant insect like creatures that Maggie had seen, but Alex's connection to his mother was not as strong, since they were both terran.

Zosh, somehow hoping that there might somehow be enough time, ran desperately to his corsair.He could see through Maggie's eyes, the moth like creature inching closer to her.

Meanwhile, Maggie was telepathically communicating to Alex.She told him, trying to hide her terror, "Alex, I'm not going to be around anymore.I want you to be brave and go on without me, and do what Aunt Areha and Uncle Zosh tells you.And always remember that I love you more than anything in the world."

Just then, the scourge caught up to Maggie, and her wraith exploded.Zosh was only two meters from his ship when he felt Maggie die, and he screamed, "NOOOOOO!"Areha screamed aloud from her cave at the same time.

That night, Alex spent hours crying in Areha's lap, and though they both tried very hard to be brave and comfort him, it was all they could do to keep from crying themselves.

Zosh went out and retrieved as much of the remains as he could with his corsair.He was never able to find any of the creatures that he had seen through her eyes.They buried the remains and had a funeral for Maggie Reeve, and Zosh and Areha expressed what a wonderful and close friend she had become to them.

Areha and Zosh tried very hard to comfort Alex for the next few weeks, but Alex was too depressed to respond to them.He stayed in his room all day long.It was three weeks before he went outside of the cave again.

After that, Zosh went on indefinite leave from the tribes to stay with Alex and his mother.

They both kept telling Alex that his mother would want him to be happy and go on with his life, and that she was looking down on him from heaven.And gradually, Alex started smiling and laughing again, though he still cried every once in a while.

Zosh decided that keeping Alex busy would be the best thing for him, so he took up teaching Alex how to fly and operate the corsair, as well as a general overview of protoss technology.And he let Alex teach him how to fly the wraiths, once Alex was done teaching himself.

Zosh was a little annoyed that by the age of thirteen, Alex's plasma shield was as strong as his own.Zosh told Alex that he was truly a dark templar, and he gave Alex a slightly altered uniform of that position.Alex felt very honored, and wore the uniform with pride, though he left off the cloth wrap around his lower face because it kept absorbing his drool, and it made it hard to breath.

There wasn't much to do for Alex, so he spent his time trying to keep strengthening his abilities, which apparently, he could do a lot faster than a protoss.Alex kept thinking in the back of his head that one day he might find the creatures that killed his mother and destroy them.He wanted a psi-blade like Zosh's, but they were designed for protoss physiology, and neuro-psionics.

Still, Alex kept concentrating, and one day when he was fourteen, almost by accident, he sent a rupture of dark energy out through his hand into a large boulder, cracking the boulder in half.His eyes widened and he ran to get Zosh.

When Zosh saw the rock he said, "Are you telling me that you did this with raw undirected psionic energy?"

"I think so," said Alex

"Please show me," said Zosh with great interest.

Alex focused his psionic energy, and a straight, though somewhat wavy beam of dark energy, which he directed through the palm of his hand, blasted into a piece of stone.The stone was reduced to complete dust.Alex felt somewhat drained from the act, and he told Zosh, who replied, "I'm not sure why, all of this is very strange to me, even after all of the things I've seen you do."

After peering closely at the rock fragments, Zosh said, "I'm certainly grateful that only a small percentage of terrans have gifts like yours."

Alex smirked and said, "No terran has gifts like mine."

Alex felt he needed rest, but after about a minute he sent another blast, and discovered that his range was about thirty meters maximum.He simply couldn't extend his reach past that.

When Zosh got an instrument from his corsair and tested Alex's blast, he found that it was over three times as powerful as a swing from a normal dark templar psi-blade.If it were not for the fact that it took Alex nearly two minutes to recover from a blast enough to send another one, then Zosh would have felt completely inferior to the terran that he trained.

For the next few months, Alex spent a great deal of his time training, but he found that it was becoming more and more difficult to increase his abilities.He wandered if he had reached the limit of the human brain.

When Alex was about fifteen and a half, Areha passed away peacefully in her sleep, and though they had known it was coming soon for the last few weeks, they were both deeply saddened.They held a funeral for her, but then Zosh took her remains back to Shakuras so that she could be buried next to his father.

Zosh returned three days later, and after barely greeting Alex, he said, "I know what killed Maggie now."

"Tell me!" said Alex, with his expression turning instantly from happy to serious.

"They're called the Zerg.Evidently there is information that they are a failed experiment of the Xel Nagga.They seem to be a collection of maybe ten or twenty different races, but what is strange is that they all seem to have a singular mind.There's little more that I could find out from the tribes about them, since so far the dark templar are not getting involved with the war."

"What war?" asked Alex.

"Both the conclave and the terrans are waging wars against the Zerg.From what I understand, neither one has made much progress.But like I said, the dark templar haven't involved themselves so far, so there is little that I know."

Alex went to his room and thought long and hard about the information that Zosh had given him.The next morning he said to Zosh, "I'm going to go to my people."

"Are you mad?You're mother nearly killed herself to get you away from your people," said Zosh.

"I know, but I want to fight against the Zerg, and this is the only way that I can do that.Besides, I'll find a way to hide the fact that I'm a telepath so they don't try anything.I am pretty smart you know, and you trained me to be a dark templar, so I figure I'll be able to take care of myself through nearly any situation," said Alex.

Zosh sighed, "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes, I've given it a lot of thought."

"Well then I can't stop you.It is your decision to make, and you've made it.I can't go with you, but I'll try to keep track of you."Zosh sighed and added, "I don't want you to think of me as your uncle anymore.We are brothers now, you and I.You're all the family I have left, so I want you to watch out for yourself."

Alex smiled and said, "You're all the family I have left as well.I want you to know that I'm sorry I went into your mind all those times without your permission.And I want you to know that I can't call you my brother, because you've always been a father to me."

They started shaking hands, but they couldn't help themselves from hugging each other.

After that, Alex went to visit his mother's grave, and he started talking to her.

"Hello mother.It's been a while huh?I've stayed away from here for the last few years, but I uh, I still look at your image all the time.I uh, I miss you, a lot.I think about you all the time.It still hurts you know?But, it helps to think that you're watching me.

I guess you know this, but Areha passed away a while back.I miss her too, but maybe you two are having a good time together right now.Um, Zosh thinks I'm a man by terran standards because I'm taller than you were.Maybe he's right; I think you told me that the military accepts marine recruits at fifteen or sixteen.I don't feel like a man, I still feel like a kid for some reason.

Mom, I really want you to know that I'm really grateful for what you did for me.I've been really happy living here.You were an incredible mother, far better than I could have hoped for.I can't even believe how much I still miss you, heheh; I guess I said that already.

Mom, I know you're not going to like this, but I'm going to go join the confederate military.Don't worry though; I'm not going to let them find out about me.I'll be careful; I don't plan on getting killed.I'll figure out how to survive.

I couldn't stay here anyway, not by myself, and I couldn't ask Zosh to give up any more of his life to stay here and keep me from going nuts from the solitude.You know, he needs to go follow his own dreams.He wants to be something called a praetor someday, and more than that, he wants to be a father.I told him that I thought of him as my father, and I think it made him feel better.I think it made me feel a lot better too.

You know, between you and me I've gotten even stronger, and I could kick his ass.I didn't let him know that though.It's not that I don't think he could handle it, it's just that, well, I don't quite know why.Maybe you know, you're my mom after all.I hope you can tell me someday when I see you again.

I'm going to try to make you proud of me; I really want you to be proud of me.I want you to know that I'm proud of you.Uh, I think that I can make a difference, I really believe that.If our people could produce someone like you, then there has to be hope for them.

So please believe in me and watch over me mother, and watch over Zosh too.I love you mom, and I'll live the best life I can for you."

He left his mother's grave, packed up his things in the wraith, and left to rejoin the terran race.

-To be continued


	5. Default Chapter Title

**Chapter 5: Colony**

****Just before Alex had left, Zosh had given him a small handheld computer with all of the information that the dark templar had on the terran race.He scanned through the protoss writing with ease and looked over the colonized planets nearest to Shakuras.After some careful consideration, he decided to head for the world of Delmagoth.It had an estimated population of about thirty million terrans, but a great deal of the surface of the planet was still untouched by terran civilization.It would be easy to sneak in and land the wraith without being detected.

He took a deep breath, punched in the coordinates and nervously sat back as the wraith entered hyperspace.The computer estimated the trip to take around sixteen hours.Alex sighed in annoyance and cranked his seat back and tried to get some sleep.He couldn't of course though, because he was incredibly excited and nervous about seeing his people for the first time in his life.He wondered what they were like, and what they would think of him.He wanted to blend in as seamless as possible, but he really didn't have any idea how to do that.All he knew about terran civilization was taken from stories that his mother had told him, and he could barely remember those stories.

His heart began to beat very quickly, and he was forced to use his psionic connection to his body to slow his heart back down.When he did this, he was momentarily stunned with how easily he had done it, and he stopped for a minute to be proud of himself.He had never really learned what a ghost soldier was, but he did know that skills like these were part of it, and they were very difficult to master.He had learned to intensify his strength very early on by copying his mother, but after she was gone, he had no model to work from.Still, he had eventually mastered even greater control over his body.He could slow the use of oxygen in his body and hold his breath for nearly an hour.He could run at a greater speed than any normal man, except one using a stim-pack, and he could keep up that incredibly exhaustive pace for hours at a time without stopping or ever slowing.His body had become very well toned, but it was more sleek than massive.He of course had no reason to wish for huge muscles though, considering that he didn't know what looked good by terran female standards, and his physical strength lay far more in his psionic augmentation then his actual muscles.

Suddenly his mind returned to the worry about what he would do when he got to Delmagoth.He considered his brown hair that was tied in a ponytail behind his head, to match the black hair like appendages that Zosh had and tied behind his gray head.Alex wondered if terran males were supposed to have hair like that.He wondered about many things, such as where he might get suitable terran clothing, or what his mother had referred to as _money_, which she had said was very important.

Finally the wraith dropped out of hyperspace, and he carefully piloted the ship into Delmagoth's atmosphere and turned on the cloaking device.It was very early morning in the part of the planet that he had flown to.He suddenly saw a large metallic structure off in the horizon, his heart jumped, for he knew that his own people must have built it.

He turned the wraith around and landed it next to some jungle foliage and did his best to conceal it with vines and branches.Then, he gathered up his things in his large duffle bag and put the bag over his shoulder, and started walking towards the structure.The second that he thought he was close enough that he might be seen from the structure, he raised the invisibility field around himself and his bag.

He cautiously approached, but he was more nervous about seeing his people than he was about them seeing him.The only terran he had ever seen was his mother, and himself in the mirror; and in his mind he had pictured an entire civilization of people with only those two faces, since he could not come up with any others.

He walked very slowly towards the large metal dome, slow enough so that he wouldn't cause a blur around himself in his motion.He saw nothing stirring.He realized that the sun had probably only risen fifteen or twenty minutes before in this part of the planet, and the terrans might not yet be up.He felt happy about this, because a very small part of him was afraid to meet his own people.He hadn't known all of the reasons that his mother had taken him away, but she had told him some of them, and they had chilled his bones as a young boy, and given him nightmares.He had asked Areha what she had known about terran civilization, and she had always replied with something like, "Better that you don't know Alex."And try as he might, he could not pry the answers from the old protoss, and she had learned to somehow block him from her mind by the time he was old enough to really start wondering.

He stepped onto the street and looked around.There were metallic structures everywhere, and he looked at them all with wonder.Suddenly his eyes fell upon a sign, which read, "Cafeteria."He didn't recognize the word.He looked around and saw other words, "Gym, pool, spa, arcade."He didn't recognize any of those words either, and he wondered if the terrans had developed some other language.He became worried, and nervously looked around for something that he recognized.

He ran further into the city, and searching all around for anything that he might recognize at all.Just then he saw a door open, and a terran walked out.He was only a few feet away from it, and when he saw it, he gasped extremely loudly.It evidently heard him, and it looked around for a minute, and when it didn't see anyone, it said, "Hello?"

He felt a deep relief come over him when he recognized that word.He moved in closer to peer at the terran.It was shorter than him, and its body was shaped more like his mother's than his, so he guessed that it was a female.It was wearing a loose fitting pair of gray pants and a white sleeveless shirt.It had long black hair that hung down behind its shoulders.He stepped up to get a closer look, and it seemed to hear his footsteps.

The terran female said very loudly and firmly, "Is someone here?Are you hiding?"He said nothing, and after a minute, the female shrugged and turned to go back into her home.

Alex became curious about what the inside of a terran home might look like, so he ran ahead of the female into her home, and luckily she didn't notice whatever blur he had caused in the action.When he got inside, he was amazed.There were machines and blinking lights everywhere.It was nothing like the cave that he lived in.There were tubes, buttons like on the wraith, screens, and so many things he could only guess at.And the floor was made of some strange fuzzy material that sort of reminded him of animal fur, only not as soft.

Just then the female stepped back into her home and shut the door behind her.Alex stood silently and watched her with great interest.She walked over to large metal object that looked like a closet, and opened the door, and a small amount of mist came out.Alex guessed that the object was probably some sort of cold-storage unit.He watched curiously as the female pulled out a white object that sort of looked like a bowl, and walked over with it to a metal box.She opened the door to the box and put the white object inside.Then she said, "Computer, microwave level 4.6 for eight seconds."There was a series of beeps and then a humming sound for eight seconds, and then the metal door opened up by itself.The female reached in and pulled it out and opened it up.Then she pulled out what Alex guessed was some sort of eating utensil, and began to feed herself the contents of the white object.

Alex was intrigued by all of this, he was so amazed that he lapsed in concentration, and for a split second, he became visible.The female was looking away, but she seemed to have seen something out of the corner of her eye, for she peered in Alex's direction for thirty seconds or so.Then she rubbed her eyes and muttered, "Shit, I'm just not awake am I?"

Alex recognized all but one of her words.He pondered over the word, "Shit," and guessed that it might be the name of an imaginary friend that she had been addressing.Having grown up very secluded, Alex had had several imaginary friends growing up, and even though he had not thought on them for quite some time, they had been very deer to him.He wondered if it was a terran custom to continue to speak to imaginary friends through adulthood.And if so, was "Shit" one of the usual names for them, or a unique one that this female had made up.

He decided to have a small peek into the female's mind to find out more about terran civilization.He tried not to invade her personal thoughts, as his mother had told him that that was very rude.But he did scan through the more technical knowledge in her mind, and in a few minutes, he knew the names of almost every object in the house and what they were for.On a lesser note, he had come across a notion in the girls mind about males with long hair.She felt that it made them look like _fags_.He wasn't sure what the word meant, but he felt from her that it was possibly a negative, or at least an odd thing to be.

He also got a few pictures from the female's head about the right way terran males were supposed to dress.The female had hundreds of images in her head just of males.Actually, she had more images of various males than she did of anything else.Alex briefly wondered why that was.

Suddenly he knew her name, Eliza Stevenson.She was sixteen, and was a new recruit for the new field medic program that was set to start in a few years.Once he knew her name, and a little more about her as a person, he began to feel guilty about invading her mind.He decided to stop probing and leave her home.He slowly moved towards the door, being careful not to make any suspicious noise.When he was at the door, he waited there for about five minutes until she went into the other room, and he silently opened the door, slipped out, and closed it behind him.

As he stepped out, he could see that people were already beginning to stir groggily out of their homes.Alex was overwhelmed by hundreds of terran faces, and he became so excited that her nearly went visible again.He could hardly believe how strange, and yet how natural seeing his own people was.He wanted to know all about them, each and every one.

They all seemed to be heading towards the building labeled _cafeteria_.He searched around and saw a terran male stepping out of a home; the male was about the same size as Alex himself was.Alex decided to borrow some of this young man's clothing temporarily until he could find a more viable solution.

He walked up and pulled open the door, which luckily had not been locked.He walked in and looked around, and he saw many of the same devices that were in Eliza's home, and one or two others that he didn't recognize.The structure was exactly the same as Eliza's though.In fact, he suddenly realized that many of the terran structures were built to exactly the same specifications.He took a second and marveled at the structure and order that his people had developed with such inferior technology to that of the protoss.After learning so much about the intricacies of protoss technology, he had assumed that his own people were very primitive, but he was beginning to question that assumption.

He walked into the bedroom and opened the closet and pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt, and a pair of boots and socks.He quickly removed the dark templar uniform and dressed himself in the attire of his people for the first time in his life.And his first thought was…that they felt very itchy.But the feeling passed quickly, as he moved to the mirror and relinquished the invisibility field around himself.He marveled at his reflection.He felt like a terran, and he decided to go out and try to interact with his people at that moment.He was no longer worried about the hair, since he had seen many males with long hair tied behind their backs.

He packed up his dark templar uniform in his bag and raised the invisibility around himself, so as not to be seen coming out of whoever's house he was in.And he walked out of the house and then slipped into an alleyway and stashed his bag carefully.Then he went visible and walked out into the large group of people that were headed towards the cafeteria.

When he joined the group, he was very nervous that they would find something unusual about him, but when he got there, nobody seemed to really care about his presence one way or another.As he walked, a terran male with short scruffy blond hair looked over at him and said, "Hey, you're new around her aren't you?

"How'd you know," said Alex nervously.

"Oh, you don't look as pissed off as everyone else here," said the young man."You must have had a good family life."

"The best," said Alex, his nervousness beginning to pass.

"Well, you know most of the guys here come from the confederacy's worst crap hole cities in space," said the man.Then the man held out his hand and said, "My name is Nathan Ryan."

Alex quickly peered into Nathan's mind and saw that Nathan wanted him to grab the extended hand and shake it.Alex did so and said, "My name is Alex Reeve."

Nathan's suddenly glinted at the name, and he muttered, "Reeve, Reeve, where have I heard that name before?Oh yes, I think that there was a ghost soldier named Maggie Reeve who stole a wraith and tried to escape the confederacy.They say she got further than any other person who's tried, but she was killed about eight light years away from her starting point."

As Nathan said this, Alex tensed up, and since they were still shaking hands, he squeezed down on Nathan's hand, unintentionally using a small portion of his psionically-augmented strength.Nathan screamed, "AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" And several people looked over.Alex quickly let go, and Nathan jerked his hand back and yelped.No bones were broken, but the hand started turning purple from the bruise.

Nathan cradled his hand and exclaimed, "Holy shit you've got a grip!And you're not even a huge guy."He looked at his hand and said, "How the hell did you do that?"

Alex saw that many people were staring at him, and he nervously scanned their minds.One of the men had formulated an explanation for what Alex had done, and Alex quickly decided to use that explanation.He said, "I put some stim-pack fluid in with my coffee this morning, I'm really sorry, I didn't know it would make me so strong."

All of the men around Alex started laughing, and Nathan chuckled, "You idiot, why did you put Stim-pack fluid in with your coffee."

"Uh, I wanted to be wide awake," said Alex.Again the men around started laughing.

Nathan sighed, "Well, I forgive you.I'm a tough guy."Nathan shook his hand and tried to cover up the fact that he wanted to scream in pain.Then he said, "Anyway, I wanted to ask you Alex, are you military or civilian."

Alex thought for a minute and said, "Uh, civilian, but I want to be military."

Nathan started laughing and said, "You're a funny guy._A civilian that would want to join the military_."Then he looked at Alex and said, "Seriously though man, if you are civilian, don't throw it in other people's faces, even when joking.Every man here would probably give his right arm to get out of this crappy career."

Alex sighed, "Sorry, I guess I didn't really think of that."

Nathan smiled and said, "Don't worry about me, I'm the nicest bastard in the world, just ask anyone.That's why everybody loves me, because I'm just so incredibly nice."Nathan tapped a man on the shoulder and said, "Hey Danny, aren't I the nicest person you know?"

The man turned around and said, "Shut up dork."

Nathan smiled and said, "You see?I'm not even going to kick the crap out of him for talking to me like that, because I'm so nice."

Alex quickly reached into Nathan's mind for the definition of the word _dork_.When he got it, he looked at Nathan and said, "I probably wouldn't be that nice.But I don't really know, I've never really been insulted before."

Danny, the man who had called Nathan a dork, had been listening to all of this.He turned around and glared at Alex and said, "So what, are you saying you would kick my ass?"

Alex looked at Danny and said, "I don't know, like I said, I've never been insulted."

Danny replied, "What kind of sarcasm is that?You're a retard."

Alex quickly scanned Danny's mind and found out what a retard was and said, "Don't call me that."

Danny laughed and said in a mocking mimic, "_Don't call me that_."Then he said, "You're a civilian aren't you?"Alex nodded and Danny said, "Well that figures.Let me tell you something, we don't like little civilians coming in and trying to get tough with us."He then smiled and said, "No, wait, we love it, and do you know why?"Alex shook his head, and Danny said, "Because civilians are little pussies."With that, he shoved Alex extremely hard, and Alex fell back.

For the split second that Alex was falling back, everyone started to laugh, but instead of landing on his head, Alex shot his hands out past his head and went into a hand spring, and launched himself into a back flip, back onto his feet.Acrobatics had been one of Alex's many ways to pass the time while he lived in seclusion, and Areha had always encouraged him.With the psionically-enhanced strength, Alex could leap with his arms higher than a regular person could with their legs.

Alex looked around and saw that everyone was looking at him strangely, and it made him very uncomfortable.He wanted to go invisible right there, but he didn't dare, for it would raise too many questions.He scanned around through the minds of the onlookers and found a notion that supported not fighting that he could use.He walked up to Danny and said, "Listen, do you really want to get arrested over this?"

Danny thought for a minute and said, "I guess you're not worth it, but watch your back civilian, because there won't always be witnesses, and that's when I'll come at you."

Nathan sighed, "If you're worried about witnesses, then you probably shouldn't have just threatened him in front of so many of them.I mean seriously, how stupid are you?"

Danny angrily said, "Shut up bitch!"With that he walked up and threw a punch at Nathan's head. One of the many things that Alex had tuned up with his psionic mind were his reflexes; He easily smacked away Danny's fist before it ever came close to hitting Nathan.And before Danny even knew what happened, Alex moved in with a quick openhanded blow to Danny's throat.With a loud "THWAK," Danny's upper body jerked back, and he coughed and gasped furiously for air.His face turned red, and he fell to his knees, gripping his throat.It was extremely obvious that there was absolutely no fight left in Danny after that.

Nathan laughed, "Wow, for a civilian you've really got some moves; you've got the reflexes of a ghost soldier."

Nathan's words caught Alex's attention, and instead of responding, he quickly dove into Nathan's mind to find out everything that Nathan knew about what ghost soldiers were.In about fifteen seconds, he knew…he knew everything.All the harsh atrocities that started at birth for the ghosts seemed to be general knowledge to the public.Nathan had seemingly read up on the subject, for the information in his mind was quite detailed.Alex thought of his mother going through the program, and it made him physically sick.He shut his eyes and clenched his fists so hard that his fingernails dug deep through the skin of his palms.The blood began to trickle through his fingers and he turned and started walking away quickly.

Nathan called out, "Hey, what about breakfast?"

Alex called back in a grim voice, "I've lost my appetite."He quickly darted away from the crowd and across to the exit of the city into the jungle, covering the distance at an incredible speed.

He ran until he was about three miles into the dense jungle, and then he shouted in wretched anger at the top of his lungs.He was so angry that he wasn't fully in control of his actions, and without realizing it, he began to discharge his built up psionic energy.The second he felt it he realized that he needed to aim it quickly or he would rip his own body apart from the unfocused blast.He quickly used his hands as focal points and directed the energy at the side of a mountain.With an incredible roar, a three-foot thick arc of dark blue energy jolted out and struck into the gray stone.

Being too angry to think about putting up his psionic shield he barely managed to cover his eyes from the furious explosion that pelted him with a hundred jagged little chunks of broken rock.More than a few of them embedded themselves in his skin.It stung horribly, but he didn't care at all, his mind was completely focused on what his mother had gone through, and what she had saved him from.He fell down on his back on the dirt, and started thinking about his mother, trying to remember everything he could about her.The fact that he was bleeding in several places didn't even register in his mind.He fell into a sort of trance, where the rest of the universe faded away completely.

He stayed in his trance for a while, but after about an hour and a half, he slowly woke up and looked over at the hundred foot tall mountain, which had more or less been reduced to rubble.He looked down at the dry blood that his arms were covered in, which had deeply stained his stolen clothes.There were about fifteen or twenty chunks of rock in his arms, and a few had even passed through his shirt and were in his shoulders and stomach.He mentally suppressed the pain and picked a few of them out.

He wished his psionic connection could heal wounds, but to his dismay, he was just a normal terran in that respect.He decided that as a terran, he should probably seek out terran medical treatment.He slowly started walking back to the city, or military base, he wasn't exactly sure what it was.

He slowly walked into the vicinity, and people around him started staring at his bloody arms.He scanned their minds for what they would do in the situation, and he found that the emergency room was the place to go.He scanned a second time and got the location of the emergency room from an unsuspecting man.Alex quickly ran past all of the staring people to the large white building.

When he went in he walked up to the front desk, and to his surprise, the person sitting there was the first terran other than his mother that he had ever seen, Eliza Stevens.He was so surprised that he stupidly walked up to her with a blank expression and leaned on the counter, and got blood on it.

When she looked at him she gasped, "Oh crap, what happened to you?"

He looked down at his arms and said, "Oh, uh, this is from…uh…a mountain climbing accident."

She exclaimed, "Well you'd better let me take care of it quickly!"With that, she stood up and grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into the back room.She said, "Ok, take off your shirt quickly."

Alex did as he was told, and he suppressed the pain as the fabric brushed over the open wounds.When his shirt was off, Eliza walked up and pulled out a metal utensil and carefully plucked the jagged rock pieces out of his skin.She looked at his face, and was amazed to find that it was calm.She smiled at him and said, "Wow, you're tough, I would be crying like a little baby."

He sighed, "Oh, I guess I'm just thinking about too many things to be in pain."

She raised her eyebrow and said, "Thinking huh? I guess you're not a marine then."

A quick scan of the surface of her mind told him that she was expecting him to laugh, so he did so and said, "You're right."

"So what's your name?" she asked.

"Alex Reeve," he answered.

She smiled and said, "My name's Eliza, I'm new to this planet.I'm training for the field medic program that you've probably heard about.What's your story Alex?"

"Just a civilian," he sighed."No real story to tell," he added with a slight uneasiness in his voice.

Just then she wedged a particularly large stone out, which had been stuck all the way into the muscle.She looked at his face and saw that it still remained completely calm, she exclaimed, "Wow, I said you were tough but I've never seen anyone even close to this tough.Are you on drugs or something?"

"Nah," he said."Just a concentration thing that my mother taught me."

Eliza laughed, "You're full of crap, you have to be on narcotics.Don't worry, I won't report you, I'm not like that."

He looked her in the face and said, "I'm not on any narcotics."After scanning her mind for a little more knowledge about which drugs she thought he was on, he said, "Go ahead and give me a blood test if you want."

"Fine," she said, pulling out a small white palm computer and sticking it into his arm before he knew what happened.She said, "I keep one of these handy because about nine tenths of the people who tell me they're not on narcotics, are damn liars.I never report any of them of course, but it's just funny to prove just how full of crap they are, just like I'm about to do to you."Just then the small computer beeped and she stared at it in shock and said, "Holy crap, you're not only not on narcotics now, but you've never taken narcotics in your life.Wow, I almost never meet anyone who hasn't at least tried drugs of some sort, especially in these outer planets.From this readout, it looks like you've never even taken DL13"

He smiled and said, "Oh, I've just had a really good family life, so I never got into that stuff."

She stared at his face for a minute and said, "You know, you seem like a really nice guy, you don't seem like you belong here."

"I'm liking it for the most part so far," he said.

She looked at him and started to speak, but then she hesitated, as if she were nervous.Then she finally said, "Alex, you seem like someone that I can trust, would you let me try something."

"What's that?" he asked nervously.

"Well," she took a deep breath and said, "I just got the latest model of the field medic laser.I'm not supposed to use it on anyone yet, but I used it a couple of times."She blushed and said, "I was just so excited about it that I actually cut myself on purpose a couple of times just to use the thing.It works with unbelievable efficiency.Would you let me use it on you?"

He sighed, "I don't know, what's involved?"

She smiled and said, "You know about stem cells right?They're the cells that every organism has that hold the potential to re-grow dead or injured flesh.They're the reason that lizards can re-grow their tails and squids can re-grow their tentacles.But the biggest example of stem cells activated in a living organism is in the Zerg.I don't know if you've seen the documentaries, but supposedly any Zerg creature can heal deadly injuries in minutes.

Anyway, that's what the laser does, it super-stimulates the human stem cells.With the laser focused on your wounds, you'll actually heal even faster than a Zerg.Test subjects have been healed from what would be fatal injuries in the course of one or two seconds."She got an excited look on her face and said, "It's the most greatest and most amazing technology man has ever created, and the only good thing ever to come out of the damn military.You have to let me try it on your wound Alex."

Alex thought for a minute and said, "Alright. You want to keep this a secret right?"

She nodded her head and said, "Yes, in fact, officially, you were never here.Understand?"

He smiled and said, "That's perfect."

She pulled out the last piece of rock from his torso and led him into a small white room in the back.She sat him down in a white chair and brought out a four-foot laser device that was shaped like a gun.It had a long chord leading back to the wall.She saw him starring at it and said, "With a few more years development, these things will be small enough that medics like me will be able to carry them around in the field and administer the healing laser to injured marines."She smiled and said, "Ok Alex, get ready, because here it comes."With that, she aimed the laser at his torso and fired.

A red beam went into his chest, and he felt warm and an intense tingling sensation came over his entire body.Three seconds later, she shut off the laser and the tingling sensation stopped.He looked down at his wounds, which were completely gone, and not even the smallest scars were left.He stood up and said, "Wow, I feel incredible.Every inch of my body feels rejuvenated."

"I know what you mean," she said."You feel like you've been reborn or something.Right now, you're in more perfect health than you've ever been in your life."

"Yeah, this is a pretty amazing feeling," he said.He walked around for a few minutes and stretched his legs. 

She smiled and said, "Who knows, ten more years of development and this technology could progress to the point where they could keep the human body from deteriorating with age.Immortality in the form of a laser, that would be incredible."

Alex thought over being immortal, or at least living as long as a protoss.He liked the idea of living as long as Zosh.But he was too distracted by the incredible feeling from the beam to think too much on anything else.He smiled and did a handstand, and just barely remembered not to display his psionic strength in time to stop himself from springing up from the handstand six feet into the air.He still walked around on his hands though, just to find out what it felt like to use his muscles after the laser.

As he was doing this, Eliza picked up his shirt and said, "Here, I'll run this through the cleaning unit, it should be fine in about three or four minutes."With that she threw the clothes into a large bin and said, "Computer, rapid wash and dry cycle."There were a series of beeps and then a humming noise.

While his shirt was washing, she stared at him and said, "You know Alex, you could be really cute if you cut your hair."

He laughed, remembered what he had gotten from her mind before, and said: "You think I look like a fag huh?"

She said quickly, "No, of course not.But I just think that you would look a lot better with your hair short.Just a suggestion."

He was about to say, "Yeah well, I really like it this way," when he noticed the way she was looking at him.His mother used to talk to him about romance.A quick scan of Eliza's mind told him that she was possibly interested in him romantically.He wasn't sure what to do.When he thought about it, he realized that part of him very much wanted to go for it.But there were many questions about his future that were very uncertain, and he wasn't sure if he was even going to be able to stay on Delmagoth.

After a few seconds, he found himself blurting out, "Yes, I think you're right, I'll get it cut."But immediately after speaking he thought: _What the hell did I say that for?_

She giggled and said, "You speak like someone out of an old book.All the marines around here cuss every other word, but I haven't heard you cuss once."

She suddenly grabbed a small white strip of paper from one of the old-time printers and wrote down something on it.Then she handed it to him and said, "That's my tele-screen extension.Why don't you gimme a call sometime, I'd be happy to show you around town…that is…if you're interested."

He gulped and answered, "Sounds good."

Just then the cleaning unit beeped and she walked over and pulled out his shirt.It still had the holes in it, but it was completely clean.She tossed it to him and he put it on.He said, "See you around," and started walking out.

She called out, "Don't lose the paper."

He laughed and went across town.He decided that he needed to find out a lot more about terran society, and definitely get some new clothes.He was already beginning to piece together the way things worked, and here and there a quick mental scan answered whatever question was presently in his head.He decided that he hated the terran government, but he didn't hate the terran people.He felt that they were a good people as a whole, which were just in a messed up situation.And he also learned that terrans had originally come from an extremely far off world called _Earth_.He learned that they had lost contact with Earth long ago.

Alex pondered over Earth, and he felt that maybe earth was a better place, with a better government than the confederacy.Most of the terran's whose minds he scanned didn't think so, but Alex felt that their had to be something better out their than the confederacy.He wanted to go to earth, but from what he could tell, it would take years to get there.If there would have been a warp gate, he could merely step through and be on earth in a few minutes, but terrans didn't have warp gates, it was a protoss technology.

Just as he was thinking of all of this he was walking into the alleyway to get his bag, when he suddenly heard a loud pitter-patter of heavy footsteps.He turned around just in time to see the guy he had tussled with, Danny, come running at him with a large metal object.Almost instinctively, Alex quickly pulled up his protective psionic plasma shield around himself.But rather than let Danny find out about it, Alex jumped back out of the way and shouted, "What the hell are you doing?"

Danny stopped a few feet away and shouted, "I've been looking for you, you little piece of shit!You didn't think you could just sucker punch me like that and get away with it, did you?"

Alex sighed, "Just forget it man, I'm sorry, ok?"

"It will be ok when I have your blood on this baseball bat," shouted Danny.

Alex knew that the baseball bat was about as much a threat to him as a light gust of wind.He could feel the dark templar energies with in him begging to surge out and rip Danny into little pieces.Alex fought the urge and said, "Listen man, I really am sorry.If you want, I'll apologize in front of everyone."

Danny laughed, "Just what I thought, you're a little pussy."

"You're right," said Alex."I'm a little pussy, and I don't want you to hurt me.I'm really sorry for hitting you, now can we just end this?"

Danny smirked and said, "Yeah, let's end it."He came running at Alex with the bat raised in the air.Alex quickly rolled out of the way and thrust his foot out, violently kicking into the side of Danny's leg before Danny knew what had happened.Danny tripped and fell into the ground, and Alex pivoted on his right hand and sprang himself back up onto his feet.Then he ran up and snatched the bat out of Danny's hands.

When Danny saw Alex holding the bat, he cowered in fear and began hyper-ventilating as he tensed up for the pain he expected to come.Alex looked at Danny in disgust and said, "Just get out of here, I'm not going to hurt you."

Danny shrilled, and slowly turned his head up to see that Alex wasn't aiming the bat.Danny nervously scrambled out of the alley and started running away.Alex sighed and threw the bat away and picked up his bag.He decided to go for a little walk.

He walked down the streets for a long time, taking in the sights of the massive metal structures throughout.He passed through the industrial section factories, which seemed to take up the bulk of the city as far as he had seen.As he passed, he could see terrans inside of boxy robotic suits.A quick scan of their minds revealed that the robotic suits were called SCV's, short for space construction vehicles.At first glance, the SCV's looked clunky and clumsy, but a closer look revealed hundreds of tiny tools at the ends of the robotic arms.

As he dove deeper into the minds of the SCV operators, he learned more about the robotic suits.They could be used for anything from mining to repairing, to constructing several types of independent structures with the advanced machinery necessary to produce complicated devices, and all with the most basic of supplies.He marveled at this concept, for as advanced as the protoss technology was, it was nowhere near as adaptive as the terran technology.Protoss technology wasn't practical to repair, especially not in the field.If a protoss ship were damaged, they would simply warp in a replacement rather than repair or even try to salvage anything off of the damaged ship.The same went for the military buildings and other machines.The protoss didn't even consider repair as an important thing.

From what Alex knew, the protoss considered the terran race to be very wasteful, but Alex was discovering that terrans seemed to use resources with extreme efficiency.As Alex plunged still deeper into the minds of the SCV workers, he learned much of the basics of terran technology.The protoss use the invisible plasma force fields to protect their units and structures, which worked very well.But he actual material inside of the force fields paled in comparison to the strength of the super metal alloys that the terrans were using in their units and structures.A terran battle cruiser, he learned, could stand up to an unbelievable amount of damage before it gave out.And even if a battle cruiser were damaged to the point where it was on it's last legs, it could be repaired and battle ready again in minutes by a single SCV worker, and even faster if a group of SCV's worked together.

Alex had been born with an extremely high intelligence level, whether he really appreciated it or not, and he was quickly able to absorb the complex concepts, constructions, and the intricate circuits for the terran war machines.He sat for three hours, teaching himself about the technology from the SCV worker's minds, and although he didn't come even close to learning all of it, he had the foundations he needed in his mind.He was already formulating ways to merge terran and protoss technology to form the greatest war machines in the known universe.He had pictures in his mind of how everything could work, but of course he knew that it might take years to develop his ideas.Still, they were good ideas he thought, and worth perusing, especially since he was probably the only terran that had any real understanding of protoss technologies.

Suddenly his mind returned to where he was, and he realized that he had more immediate things to worry about than inventing. He still needed money, clothing, a place to sleep, and he had also learned while in the worker's minds that all terrans were supposed to have identification codes.The codes were needed for almost any transaction, and it was probably only because of Eliza's secret test of the laser, that she had not asked for his identification code when she gave him medical treatment.He knew that this was only by an extreme stroke of luck, and that such luck would never hold out for any length of time.

He searched into the minds of several people to get identification their identification codes, but as he did, he learned from them that simply having the codes did little good.There were almost always other verifications involved.The Delmagoth citizenship database had every single inhabitants voice print, fingerprints, retinal scans, and even DNA on file.If Alex tried to speak a code to a computer, it would immediately find that his voiceprint didn't match up to the identification code.This worried him a great deal, so he began walking throughout the city, searching the minds of everyone he saw to see if they knew a way around the citizenship database.

After two hours, he came up dry, and he was becoming very frightened that he wasn't going to be able to infiltrate himself into terran society.He continued to walk around and search, but he saw that it was starting to get dark.He looked up at one of the city's many chronometers and saw that it was almost twelve hundred hours standard confederacy time.

Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, as he picked up a thought about a falsified identification code.He looked over and spotted the man who had the thought in his head.It was a gray haired large fat man, named Michael Rickets, but he had another name, the one he was going by, Simon Rutgers.Alex scanned deep into the mind of the man with two names.Alex found out that Simon Rutgers was a rebel in a terrorist group called, _The Sons of Korhal_, and had escaped prosecution and come to the remote world of Delmagoth to hide.And he found a man who could create a new identity for him, one that the identification database would recognize.The price was twenty thousand credits, but Simon considered it well worth the money, since he could now pass himself off as Michael Rickets, and go anywhere.

Alex was very intrigued by this, and he got the name of the man who created the fake identity, Richard Marks, and his address, as well as the intricacies of getting in. There was also secret contact information that needed to be repeated to Richard in order to receive service.When he had it all memorized, Alex took off towards the address, though he was somewhat worried about where he would get twenty thousand credits.He didn't even know how large a sum it was in relative terms, since he still had yet to use money.

He made it to the address in about five minutes, running at top speed, and he went in another alley and went visible, and then he walked up to the structure.It was a large brown building with a secret lower level that Alex had found out about from Simon's mind.He walked up and pushed against the metal door; it was locked, so he psionically boosted his strength and snapped the metal lock like it was a twig.He stepped in and walked up to the desk inside and pulled out the bottom drawer.He looked in behind where the drawer was, and just as he had seen in Simon's mind, there was a secret access panel.He punched in the seven-digit code and the floor opened up across from him to reveal a hidden stairway leading down.He raised his protective psionic shield around himself, just to be safe, but kept himself visible as he preceded down the stairs.

He walked down and saw a series of computer screens and equipment with blinking lights all around a huge underground room.Just then he heard a voice say, "Hold it right there asshole."Alex stopped and turned to see a thirty-year-old man with long blond hair and a scruffy beard, pointing a large gun at Alex.Alex smiled at the man and said, "Richard Marks, I need your services."

Richard stared at Alex uneasily and said, "Who are you and who told you about me?"

Alex remembered the details in Simon's mind and calmly replied, "I'm a man who needs a new identity, and I learned about you on Korhal from the Key Master."Then he added the secret term from Simon's mind and said, "The password his prolongo."

Richard smiled and lowered his gun and said, "Alright man, another rebel, I don't get too many of you guys in here anymore."Then he looked Alex in the face and said, "You got the credits?"

"Not with me," said Alex.

"But you can get them, right?" implied Richard.

"Twenty thousand right?" asked Alex.

"Correctimondo my friend," said Richard.

"Yeah well, I can have the cash for you within twenty four hours," said Alex.

Richard smiled and said, "Well, I don't normally extend credit, but since you know the Key Master, then I'll get started for you.Any name in particular that you'd like?"

"Yeah, I want to be Alex Reeve," said Alex.Alex remembered the information he pulled from the heads of the SCV workers and said,"I need to be sixteen years old and have bachelors degree in advanced military engineering with a specialization in reactor technologies."

Richard laughed, "At sixteen?That's kind of unusual, and most of my clients prefer to be inconspicuous.And anyway, credentials like that are easy to forge, but the hard part is breaking into the database of one of those damn university computers and creating a record of your attendance there.It will cost you an extra eight thousand."

Alex thought for a minute and then said, "Fine, just get started on it, I'll have twenty eight on your table by morning."

Richard smiled and said, "Since you've met the Key Master, you probably already know this, but I only except hard currency, no checks, no bonds, no equity, no trade, no shit."

"Yeah, I'll get it to you," said Alex."Just make sure that it's all verifiable by tomorrow morning."

Richard smiled and said, "These things take time, but I might be able to pull it off in that amount of time for an extra two, just to round off the payment to an even thirty grand."

Alex rolled his eyes and said, "Fine, I'll probably come by before sunrise with the cash.See ya."

Richard said quickly, "Wait kid, I need to get your DNA and voice print and all that stuff.Don't you know about all of this?"

Alex sighed, "Sorry, my minds on a lot of things right now."

Richard laughed, "That's ok, you rebels got a lot of shit _TO_ worry about.Anyway, just have a seat."

Alex sat down and Richard poked him with a small device that picked up his DNA.When Richard looked at the computer he exclaimed, "HOLY SHIT!"Then he nervously looked at Alex and said, "You're a telepath!"

Alex took a deep breath and said, "Yes."

Richard gulped and said, "And you're not registered with the confederation.This is nuts man, do you know what kind of shit you can get in if you're caught?"

Alex sighed, "I didn't know that it would come up on a DNA scan like that.I guess I'll have to avoid those things."

"Damn right you are!" exclaimed Richard.He chuckled, "I'm really surprised that you were able to hide your gifts for so long, but I guess on Korhal it would be possible.Anyway, I can put down a fake DNA code on your records.They hardly ever scan DNA anyway, since retinal and voiceprints are used for nearly everything.But you better not get yourself arrested or anything, because if you do, you know they'll scan your DNA, and then you'll be in a shitload of trouble."Richard peered at Alex and said, "You know, I've heard that telepath's who don't undergo the treatments are even stronger than the ghost soldiers.Can you like, pick up tanks and stuff like that?"

Alex chuckled, "I don't think I could do that, but I guess I'm pretty strong."

Richard handed Alex a metal bar, and with a huge grin on his face, he said, "Could you bend this?"

Alex rolled his eyes and took the metal bar and easily bent it.Richard exclaimed, "Wow!That is so cool!I wish I was a telepath."

Alex sighed, "Can we get to it?"

"Yeah sure," said Richard."Ok, hold your eye up to this," he said, holding up a small metal device.Alex looked into the device and a bright light shined on his eye, and then he heard a beep.Then Richard held up another small device and said, "Just say something."

Alex said, "Hi."The computer beeped and then said in a computer voice, "Voice print, Alex Reeve verified."Then, Richard held up a third device, which was a black panel about a foot across and a foot up and down.He said, "Just put your hands on this and you're done."

Alex put his hands on the panel, and there was a beep and then the small screen on the side read, "Hand and fingerprints verified."

Then Richard looked up at Alex and said, "Well whoever you are, you'll be Alex Reeve by morning."Then he chuckled and added, "And stay the hell out of my mind or I'll put a bullet in your head."

Alex replied, "Don't worry, I only read minds when I need to.See ya in about six hours."Alex started walking away and then he looked over his shoulder and said, "Oh, I kind of broke the lock on your front door.I'll pay for it."

Richard laughed, "Oh don't worry about it.With the cash you're paying me for this job, a door is nothing."

Alex nodded and left the building.He had gotten the location of the First Bank of Delmagoth earlier.It was about fifty kilometers from his location, so he ran rather quickly, and made it there in ten minutes.He had already gone invisible, but just as he approached; he saw a missile turret built right into the bank.He remembered from the SCV worker's mind that missile turrets could detect cloaked vessels and units.He wondered though if, since his form of invisibility worked differently from cloaking devices, they could detect him.He walked up slowly to the turret with his hands extended forward, and when he got within about a hundred meters, his extended hands became visible in front of him.They could still be seen through, they sort of looked like holographic projections.Alex exclaimed, "Ah crap!"

He stepped back, looked around to make sure that no one was around, and that no other turrets were nearby.Then he focused his mind, used his hands as focal points to direct, and sent an arc of energy at the missile turret.The fifty-meter tall metal structure instantly exploded, and was reduced mostly to smoldering ash and debris.About two seconds later, an intense alarm went off, and Alex could already see soldiers coming out.

While still invisible, he quickly bolted past the bank guards, and in the darkness, they didn't notice the blur.He kicked open the metal doors to the bank and ran in.Across the room, there was an auto gun, a particularly huge one.Alex started to run past it, when he suddenly looked down and saw that he was translucent, rather than invisible, and right at that second the auto gun fired at him.His plasma shield protected him, but it was somewhat drained in the process.Alex ran back away from the auto gun and his body went invisible again.He rolled his eyes in annoyance as he realized that the auto-gun had a detection field.He guessed he could manage another blast, but if he did, he would be out of power for at least two minutes.

He decided to go ahead, and he sent an arc of energy at the auto-gun, and it exploded.He quickly ran past it and towards the main vault.He sensed another terran mind in the room, and after some careful scanning, he found out who belonged to.It was a bank clerk named Ed, who was doing some last minute accounting for the night.Ed had hidden behind a desk the second that he heard an explosion, and was cowering there in terror.

Alex probed deep into Ed's mind, and found that Ed had the access code to the vault.Alex memorized the thirteen-digit code of letters and numbers and walked up to the large vault.He found the access panel and punched in the code.The huge metal door beeped, and then opened up.Alex quickly ran in and looked around.There were piles and piles of the thin metallic strips that represented confederate credits.They seemed very elastic when he picked them up, and Alex had learned though the still cowering clerk's mind that the credits were made from a special metal that only the confederation had the equipment to create, and they were marked with special microscopic radioactive catalyst signature crystals.On the sides, they had the amounts that they were worth printed.

There were piles of ones, tens, twenties, fifties, hundreds, and five hundreds.Alex pulled out a sack from under his shirt and started loading the currency in.He stayed invisible because he noticed that there were cameras inside of the vault.He lowered the intensity of his force field though, so that he could touch things in the room while staying invisible.As he neared the shelves, portions of them turned invisible as his invisibility field touched them.He thought it was kind of funny the way that the money turned invisible when his hand got near it.It caused him to drop cash a couple of times, due to the fact that he couldn't really see what he was doing.

He worked quickly, and in about five minutes, he had over three hundred thousand confederate credits.From what he had recently learned, a man who made thirty thousand a year would be considered to be extremely successful, so he had a pretty large fortune.

Right then he heard shouting, and he looked out and saw about a hundred armed soldiers standing outside of the bank, waiting to bust in.Alex started to move out, but then he scanned Ed's mind again to find if there was a back door.He found out that there was, in the next hallway.He also found out where the recorder for the cameras was, so he made a quick run to a secret room and smashed the little black box that had the images of the invisible figure grabbing the cash.Then, he bolted down the hall, and got to the back door.He slowly opened it, and looked outside.There were about fifty armed marines and a siege tank.

Alex looked around, he didn't see any science vessels, which he knew would project visibility on him.He started to move out, when he suddenly saw a sparkling field around him, and he suddenly became translucent, and the soldiers opened fire on him.His plasma shield protected him, but it was depleted down to practically nothing by the time he made it back into the building.As he gathered himself, he thought back to the information that he had gotten from the SCV worker, and realized that the sparkling field was a sensor sweep, another way that the terrans had of detecting cloaked units.

He knew that no one could have seen his face, but he sensed that they knew that there was a cloaked person inside of the bank.He reached out and scanned the minds of the soldiers, and found out that a Science vessel was in rout to his location, and the sensor sweeps were on standby.He found the mind of the commander, and reached in and found out that the commander was planning to wait for the slightest sign of a blur, and then initiate the sensor sweep in that area.

Alex took a deep breath and started slowly walking out of the front of the building, being careful to move slowly enough so that he didn't emit a blur.And in that state, he walked right past the large group of what had grown into over five hundred marines, sixteen siege tanks, and seventeen wraiths.

Just as he was getting out of range, he saw three science vessels moving in towards the bank.He carefully avoided their range and when he was far enough away, he bolted down the street as fast as he could.****

****Alex decided to wait near the edge of the city until morning, near to his wraith so that he could make an escape if he needed to.With all of the cash he had on hand, and the knowledge he now had of terran society, he was confident that he could start over on another colony if need be.

He had been sitting on a bench thinking about the many experiences he had had in the last twenty-four hours, when suddenly he felt a telepathic call.Instantly, he knew it was Zosh, and he sent out a telepathic message for Zosh to wait a little while and then proceed to where Alex was.Then Alex bolted out of the city into the jungle.When he was far enough out into the jungle he sent out a telepathic beacon for Zosh to come to.

After about five minutes, Alex looked up and saw a strange looking ship come towards him.Alex was visible, but when the ship passed over him, his body turned invisible, and he gasped in worry.As the ship slowly lowered to the ground next to Alex, Alex turned visible again.Suddenly, the door opened and steam pushed out for a second.Then, Zosh stepped out and exclaimed, "How do you like my new vessel?"

Alex got an amazed expression on his face and said, "What the hell is it?"

Zosh's eyes swelled up with pride and he answered, "It's an arbiter.The dark templar don't have too many of these incredible crafts, so it's a great honor to be selected as a pilot."He chuckled and added, "It would _even_ be considered an honor on Aiur to pilot one of these amazing vessels."

Alex peered at the arbiter and said, "So it just bends light under it to create invisibility, that doesn't seem too useful to the dark templar."

Zosh chuckled and said, "First of all, it doesn't bend light at all, it actually warps reality itself to cast out the visibility of objects that it is directed to within its range.Second of all, that's only the beginning of what it can do.It also has the ability to create vortexes around it and warp in units.Also, it can actually create temporary absolute pockets of space time."

"What does that mean?" asked Alex.

"An absolute pocket is an intense focusing of space time, and anything that is caught within the pocket will be temporarily outside of normal space time," said Zosh.

"Uh, yeah, that could be useful in a battle," said Alex sarcastically.

Zosh laughed and said, "Just think if you were surrounded by ten scout ships, and you had no backup.What if you could freeze them in space long enough to make a clean getaway."

"You can do that?" asked Alex.

"Well no," admitted Zosh."You see, the ship needs the psychic energies of a specially trained pilot to do all of this.I haven't mastered the training yet, but I will soon."

"That's pretty amazing," said Alex.

Zosh sighed, "Yeah, when I really master this ship's capabilities, I could warp you out of this place instantly, and I'll probably have to, the way terran society seems to be."

"Hey man, don't knock it until you've lived it," said Alex.

Zosh rolled his glowing eyes and said, "You know, that's really why I came here.I was worried that you'd gotten yourself into trouble with this primitive culture."

Alex smiled and said, "Why don't I share my experiences so far with you."Zosh nodded, and the two of them entered into the intense form of telepathy that they had developed.In the course of about ten seconds, Zosh got all of Alex's memories from the time he entered the terran city.

When they finished, Zosh blinked and said, "Terran society is far different than I would have thought.That stem cell technology is very amazing; we don't have anything like in on Shakuras.I don't like the way you risked your life just to get this _money_ stuff."

"You know I had to," said Alex.

"Well, I think that you could have found a less dangerous way to get money," said Zosh.

"Maybe, but now that I have this much, I won't have to worry about cash for a long time," said Alex.

Zosh mumbled in a somewhat disgusted voice, "I don't understand your attraction to this Eliza, she's a hideous creature.She doesn't have any muscle, and she looks so ridiculously soft and delicate."

Alex laughed, "You're not a terran."

"Thank goodness for that," exclaimed Zosh.Then he added, "And by the way, you really should have killed this Danny person if he was trying to kill you."

Alex sighed, "I just wouldn't feel right killing him, or any other terran for that matter.It's something I really want to try to avoid.You can understand that I think.Even with all your anger at the conclave, would you really want to kill a protoss from Aiur?Even a templar one?"

"I suppose not," said Zosh."But I believe that I would kill one if he or she was trying to kill me."

"Yeah, but you'd try to avoid it, wouldn't you?" asked Alex.

"I would," admitted Zosh.

"See Zosh, you're still thinking of terrans as animals," said Alex.

"Uh, no I'm not," insisted Zosh."At least I don't think of you as an animal."

Alex laughed and said, "You're such a racist, but I forgive you, since you can't help it.Anyway, I actually am enjoying myself here."

Zosh sighed in disappointment, "So I guess that means that you want to stay?" 

"Of course," said Alex.

Zosh rolled his glowing eyes and said, "Fine then, but I want to make sure that I can get you out of here if need be."With that, Zosh held up a small thin yellow triangular device, which was on a black chain, and he said, "This is both a communicator and a location transmitter.If you get into trouble, just turn it on and tell me.I should be able to master at least the recall technique of this ship very soon, and if and when I get your signal, I'll use this ship to warp you safely to me."

Alex smirked and said, "What if it's a life or death situation and you're not in your ship when I call?"

Zosh sighed in annoyance, "Don't talk like that, you'll put me in an early grave from worry."

Alex laughed, "I'm sorry, I must be picking up a terran sense of humor."Alex took the transmitter necklace and said, " Anyway, thank you for this, I'll keep it with me.I really hope that I don't have to use it though."Then Alex looked up at Zosh and said, "But if I did use it, and say, you teleported me to Shakuras, how would you explain me to the tribes?"

"I would tell the truth," said Zosh."And though I would probably get in trouble, it would be worth it if it saved you from danger."

Alex smiled and said, "Thank you father."Then he said quickly, "You don't mind if I call you father do you, I think of you more that way than ever now."

Though Zosh didn't have lips, his face gave the semblance of a proud and warm smile, and he said, "I am greatly honored that you choose to call me father."Then he laughed, "I'm proud of you, my strange mammal son."

They spent about another two hours talking, and then, when the second moon began to sink into the horizon, they said their goodbyes.Alex promised to use the transmitter, not only if he was in danger, but also to talk to Zosh through it once in a while.

After Zosh's ship took off, Alex quickly ran back to the city, and while invisible, he went straight to Richard's place to pay the guy.When he got there, he entered in the code and opened up the secret stairway and went down.As he entered, he saw Richard nervously looking up at him.Richard had his hand on a gun, but he wasn't pointing it at Alex.

Alex looked at Richard and said, "What's wrong with you man?"

Richard replied in a somewhat nervous tone, "I heard on the radio, somebody broke into the first confederate bank.Whoever it was had a ghost invisibility suit.You claim that you were never a ghost soldier, but I wonder."

Alex rolled his eyes and said, "I was never a ghost soldier, I promise you that.But seriously, if I was, why would that change anything?"

Richard responded nervously, "Because ghost soldiers are the most ruthless and efficient killers in the our whole race.And the way you act, all nice and polite, it's just freaky to think that you could be a ghost soldier.If you are one, and you act the way you do, then you must have a split personality or something, or maybe this is your psychotic attempt to be a normal person."

Alex laughed and said, "You spend too much time in this little underground room of yours.It's making you really paranoid."

Richard gulped and said, "Was it you who broke into the bank?"

Alex sighed, "If it was me, I wouldn't tell you, but in any case, you're in no danger from me.Anyway, did you get me set up?"

Richard nodded and handed Alex a large gray packet and said, "There's your codes, your papers, your credentials, and your background information for you to memorize.You're all set up.Remember, these records will stand up to a level 4 security check, but if you get under any really serious investigation, you'll probably be found out, so keep out of trouble.And if you are caught, you never met me."

Alex smiled and said, "Thanks Richard."Then he reached into his bag and counted out the money and put it down on the table and said, "Here's an extra three grand for you; I'm feeling generous."

Richard gulped and said, "You must have been the one who broke into the bank."Then he smiled and said, "But that's none of my business.A three grand bonus buys you a lot of acceptance with me."

Alex smirked and said, "I know that you would have done it all for twenty five grand, and you were just testing to see if you could get more out of me."Richard shook his head but Alex laughed, "You shouldn't try to lie to a telepath.Anyway, I don't care, in fact, I'm glad to pay you, because you may be in danger for helping me down the line, because I'll most likely get into trouble.It will ease my conscience to know that you have enough cash to get yourself out of danger easily if need be."

Richard said nervously, "You're a terrorist, aren't you?"

Alex thought for a minute and said, "Not yet, but I guess I could end up as one, I'm really not sure.I have to figure out what I believe to be the best way I can help the terran race, if it's terrorism, then so be it."

"Uh, for a terrorist, you sound pretty non-fanatical, but then, if you can bust into the first confederate bank of Delmagoth, then you must know what you're doing," said Richard.

Alex smirked and said jokingly, "Don't be saying things like that or you might become a threat to me."

Richard's hand fell back down to his gun and he said, "I'm not interested in being your enemy."

Alex laughed again and said, "Don't be so afraid of me.I promise you, I've never killed another terran in my life."

Richard sighed, "Yeah, I suppose I'll believe you.In any case, you're money's always good here.Come back if you need any other services that I can provide."

At about mid day, Alex had an apartment set up in the eastern section of quadrant 17 of the Delmagoth colony.He bought all the standard furniture and appliances that a typical terran should have, and then, he set up a few miniature holographic images of his mother on the desks, shelves, and tables.He wasn't sure if anyone would know what the famous Maggie Reeve looked like, but he just needed to see her image.He wanted to put up images of his two protoss family members, but since he would most likely have guests over sooner or later, it would be too much of a risk.

When he filled his house up with food and cooking utensils, and some new clothing in his closet, he was satisfied.He left his quarters and went down to the industrial section.He walked in to a large structure labeled "Personal."He quickly filled out a computerized application for a private contractor position in the field of deep space propulsion technologies.Then he sat down and waited in the lobby.

About thirty minutes later his name was called over a speaker and he walked through a door, where a middle-aged woman led him down a series of halls to a large office.When Alex walked into the office, he saw a well-dressed man in his fifties, with a thick grayish beard and mustache.The man looked up at Alex in surprise and exclaimed, "You are the applicant?"

Alex nodded, "I'm Alex Reeve sir, whom are you?"

The man peered at Alex for a minute and said, "You know my boy, twenty years ago if a sixteen year old came into this office looking for his own private contract and research grant, he would have been laughed right on out of here."Then he sighed, "But these days, I guess it's just the way things are going.With all of the genetic augmentation that people are having done to their children, it's no wonder that we've got so many geniuses running around your age.I suppose that I should give you just as much of a chance as anyone else."

Alex walked up and shook the man's hand and the man said, "My name is Gregory Daniels.You may call me Mister Daniels.Anyway, you do have a very impressive resume, but I just feel the need to check you out before I go handing you thousands of dollars in research funding."

Alex nodded and the Daniels cleared his throat and said, "Ok, you want to develop deep space propulsion technology do you?Well, let's see how great your knowledge actually is in that field."Daniels pulled up a hand held computer and began working the touch screen.Then he peered at the screen and said, "Alright, what is, say, the plasma to vespene gas ratio for a standard battle cruiser with a cargo load of eight hundred tons."When Daniels finished the question, he had a triumphant smile on his face, as though he knew already that he had stumped Alex.

Alex of course didn't know the answer to this, but since Daniels was looking at the answer screen, _he_ did, so Alex merely went into Daniels's mind and got the answer, and then replied, "Uh, that would be 2.179 GST by 1.423 BTY sir.Am I correct?"

Daniels gasped in astonishment and said, "Well kid, you certainly nailed that one, but let's see if I can stump you yet."

For the next forty-five minutes, Daniels searched the computer archive and asked impossible question after impossible question, and Alex simply read Daniels's mind for the answer every time, answering in mere seconds.Daniels started to become very uneasy, and finally he said, "Holy shit son, I've never met anyone in this field that had this stuff down as well as you.You will be a great asset to the confederacy, and I really think that you're wasting your time on this ass backwards little planted, but I'll grant you your funding none the less."

Alex smiled and said, "Alright, I don't need an incredible amount of funding, just a great deal of raw materials, a few high level computers, and my own SCV.I'll be working on the edge of the city on my own."

Daniels looked at Alex in surprise and said, "You know I can give you your own research team."

"Nah," said Alex."They'd just get in my way.I'll hire my own team if I need to."

"Well kid, it's your project," said Daniels.He handed Alex a small translucent strip, which had a great deal of print on it.Daniels pointed to the strip and said, "The ordering procedures and information are all printed on there.You can place your order from any telescreen on the planet.Just put in where you want it delivered and it will be there in a few standard hours."

Alex nodded and said, "Thank you sir," and started walking out.Daniels called out after him and said, "You probably already know this kid, but the confederacy expects results when they shell out cash.I suggest you come up with at least something within six months or you could get yourself in some deep shit for misappropriation of funding."

Alex nodded and said, "Yeah, I know what I'm doing."As he walked out though, he knew that he really didn't.But still, he had everything that he needed for the time being to suit his plans.He quickly returned his mind to the thoughts of merging protoss and terran technology.

_Now I'll build something that no one's ever seen, _thought Alex.__

-To be continued

I'm really not sure, do you think this is getting a little boring; it doesn't seem that way to me, but it's really difficult to step back from your own work and guess what it would seem like to another person.If you would be so kind, please post your comments and tell me if you think this story should have more action in future chapters, or of course, any other comments you might have.I love feedback, even negative feedback, but so far, the response to this story has been excellent (all be it by not that many people, but I guess Starcraft is kind of an old game so I don't know how many readers I can expect) Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this.

Strange as always,

-Super-Loki


	6. Default Chapter Title

**(If anyone is interested in proof reading for me, drop me a line, thanks)**

**Chapter 6: Preparations**

The next morning, Alex got up early and ate a hearty breakfast from a Zulian egg, which was about the size of his fist.He didn't know what kind of creature a Zulian was, but the egg tasted delicious.Then he put on some fresh clothing and went out into town.

The first thing he did was to go down to the local barber and have his hair cut, per Eliza's suggestion.When he walked in, there were images along the wall of different haircuts, and Alex picked one and then shut his eyes, for it was difficult to bear having his long hair cut down.The girl laughed and began cutting gleefully as she found Alex's worried expression very comical.He could hear and feel snip after snip, and he found that it bothered him very much.He had put his hair like Zosh's for a reason, it symbolized in some small way that he was trained as a dark templar.But still, it was kind of cumbersome. He hadn't seen too many guys with long hair, and he wanted to seem as inconspicuous as possible, considering all he was doing already to stand out.

When the girl said, "Done," Alex opened his eyes and looking in the mirror in astonishment.His brown hair was parted in the middle and it came down around mid ear level.As he peered at it, he couldn't help laughing in astonishment.He almost looked like a different person.He asked the girl her opinion and she said, "You really look a LOT better than before, trust me."He sighed and gave her a tip and walked out of the shop.

The next thing he did was head straight to the bank he had robbed the other night.There was still a great deal of extra security around it, but he casually passed right through.He walked up to the counter and handed the grant papers to the teller and asked to open up an account with the money.The young woman's eyes widened when she saw that Alex was being given a grant from the military, but she began to process the transaction immediately.About ten minutes later, she looked up at him and said, "You're account is all set up.You can transact currency through this account from any telescreen or merchant computer on this planet, but if you wish for an interplanetary line of credit, you'll have to fill out some forms."

He smiled and said, "No, I don't care about that right now, I hope to stay here for a good while. Thanks for the help."

He walked out of the bank and around to the western edge of the city and found a warehouse that was not being used.He used the computer directory nearby, and after a few minutes, he figured out how use the database to find out who owned the warehouse.It belonged to a Bertha Meyers, who was a single woman in her forties that lived about five blocks down the road.

Rather than walk, he dialed in her extension, and after a few rings, the face of a fat elderly woman with short curly gray hair came onto the screen.She looked at him blankly and said, "Did you enter the wrong extension young man?"

He smiled and said, "Uh, I don't think so.You're Bertha Meyers right?"

"Yes, what can I do for you," she said.

"Well, I was wondering if I could rent your warehouse for a few months," he said.

She looked at him suspiciously and said, "You're one of those young men who sets up party houses for young people to come and do drugs and have sex, aren't you?"

He got a surprised look on his face and said, "Uh no, I'm a private developer for the military.I just need a place to do my research.You can run a background check on me if you like."

She glared at him and said, "I'll do just that."Then she said, "Computer, give me a readout on the caller."For about a minute, the screen went blank in front of Alex, and then Bertha's face came back on and she said, "I'm very sorry young man, it's just that you have to be careful these days.If you watch the news, you can see that so many young people are ruining their lives.It's so nice to see a nice upstanding young man like you.I would be happy to rent the old place to you.Shall we say 250 credits a month?"

"That will be fine," said Alex."I'll transfer the rent for three months to your account right now."He punched in his bank code to the side of the screen and then gave his authorization code.He then held up his eye and the screen scanned his retina, and a few seconds later, it read, "Transaction confirmed."

Bertha smiled at him and said, "I'm glad that someone's going to get some use out of the old place.I'll connect to the security system right now and tell it to recognize your identification code and voice print.You should be able to get in there in a about five minutes."She gave him a final smile and said, "It's a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Reeve."Then her face disappeared of the screen.

About five minutes later, Alex walked up and spoke his identification code, and the lock beeped and the large metal door opened.The warehouse was very large, and though was only a single story structure; the ceiling was about twenty-five meters above the floor.And luckily, there was a telescreen inside that was fully functional.

He walked up and used his access code and ordered all of his supplied from the military to be delivered to the warehouse.In less than an hour, he had the latest model SCV, two reserve tanks of vespene gas, a metric ton of minerals, and three top of the line heavy-processing computers with three-dimensional simulators capable of taking the physical properties of matter and chemical reaction into account.

He was satisfied that he could begin work soon.When he had everything set up properly, he used the protoss transmitter and called Zosh and said, "Hey father, have you mastered that recall ability yet?"

"Not yet," said Zosh."Maybe in a few more days, this is all very complicated you know.And I wouldn't want to botch the process and bring you in all messed up."

Alex sighed, "Yeah well, I don't need to warp out of here right now, but I need to get my hands on one of the probes so I can warp _in_ a pylon for this place."

Zosh said in surprise, "Why, what kind of protoss technology are you wanting to power?"

"I'm not sure yet, I have a lot of figuring out to do," replied Alex."But I want a pylon to work with.Also, if you think it's possible, I would like you to try to sneak my on to Shakuras for a day or so."

"Why?" asked Zosh in astonishment.

"Because I need to learn more about certain protoss technologies.I think that once I get the design specifications, I think I can tap into the psionic matrix and find a way to integrate protoss and terran technology."

"Oh Alex," said Zosh, "Why would you want to do that?Integrate a primitive technology with ours?"

"Because believe it or not, this primitive technology has a few advantages over yours," said Alex."And I can stay in this warehouse and build myself an incredible ship, and throw these army guys a little piece of protoss deep space propulsion technology to keep them believing that I'm actually doing research in here."

"But why do you need a ship?" asked Zosh.

"I need a ship capable of opening a warp gate in space so I can go to a place called earth," said Alex."It would take me three or four years to get there in a terran ship, but I could get there in minutes through a warp gate."

"First of all, why do you want to go to earth?" asked Zosh.

"Because that's where my people are originally from," said Alex."These are just colonies that have long since lost contact with earth.I want to go there because I want to find out if things are better on earth than they are here.If they are, then I could tell them about the protoss and the Zerg, and they could come here and help make things better for everyone, and help make peace between our two peoples.And also, they might help us completely eradicate the damn Zerg off the face of the universe."

Zosh sighed, "Well, if that's the case, then you should just let me take you."

"No," said Alex firmly."We have no idea what kind of technology they might have on earth.It might be far superior to the technology of these terrans.They might be able to destroy or disable your vessel easily.If I were captured, since I'm a terran myself, they would probably only question me.But you, you'd be an unknown alien to them.Who knows what they would do to you.I have to make the journey myself.And I can't go stealing a protoss ship, so I'm just going to have to build my own."

Zosh thought for a minute and said, "Well, even so, I could just bring you the design specifications, there's no need for you to go to Shakuras."

"Yes there is," said Alex."Design specifications are the main thing, but I want to have that arbiter technology as well.With its abilities an arbiter could save me from death if I find trouble on Earth.I hope you don't mind, but I was briefly in your mind the other night, and I learned about your arbiter from you.I'm confident that I can manufacture a suitable substitute for nearly everything else, but the intricacies of the Khaydarin core would be impossible to replicate with this SCV.I need to…well…sort of borrow one of the cores from your world.And I can't allow you to do it for me."

Zosh thought for a minute and said, "I don't like this thieving business.But I suppose that under these special circumstances, when it may lead to a far greater good…that maybe it is all right.I suppose that I could sneak you to Shakuras, but it would be very dangerous for you, too dangerous I think.You know that Shakuras has many observers around patrolling for Zerg.You could pass under one on accident, and reveal yourself to my people, and then you wouldn't be safe."

"Sure I would," said Alex."We could stay in contact the whole time, and if something went wrong, you could just warp me out of there with your arbiter.That's my plan by the way, if I manage to get in and get hold of the core from one of the factories, then you can simply use my signal to warp me and the core out of there."

Zosh thought for a minute and said, "I don't like it, I don't like it at all.Are you absolutely sure that you need this technology?"

"No, not absolutely," said Alex."But then, it really _could_ mean the difference between my life and death.As much as I hope that the people of Earth are shining beacons of morality, their government could be just as evil and ruthless as this confederacy, or even more so.If you don't want to help me do it, then I'll understand."

Zosh said quickly, "No, I'll help you, I just don't like it, that's all."

"Alright, thank you father," said Alex."Now please master that recall technique quickly, and in the mean time, get me those design specifications as soon as possible."

"I'll meet you this evening…that is to say, the evening where you are, which will be the middle of the day for me," said Zosh.

"Gee, thanks for the time difference lesson," said Alex sarcastically.

Zosh sighed, "That's your damn terran sense of humor that you're developing isn't it?"

"Yeah, like it?" asked Alex.

"Not really," said Zosh.

"Oh well," said Alex."I need to go now, they're still delivering things here in my new lab."

"Lab?" said Zosh in surprise.

"I'll tell you about it later father, I have to go," said Alex.

"All right, goodbye son," said Zosh.

"Bye father," said Alex.He turned off the transmitter.

For about an hour, Alex got in the SCV and taught himself the basic operations.Once he felt he was ready, he began to use the SCV to set up his equipment as well as building a partial second story made of steal, which existed only in one corner of the warehouse.He was amazed at how easy to use the SCV was, and he found himself playing with it, making dozens of metal sculptures.He didn't realize how much time had passed until he felt Zosh's telepathic call, followed by a transmission from his medallion.Alex jumped out of the SCV and dashed out of the warehouse.He was forced to run at normal terran speed until he was outside of the view of the city, and then he accelerated to a far faster pace.

When he got to the spot, Zosh landed, and the second he got out he exclaimed, "What the hell have you done to yourself?"

"It's just a haircut," said Alex.

"It makes you look like a rodent," said Zosh.

"If you say so," said Alex."I like it, and it makes me look more like an average terran."

"I hate it," said Zosh."But it's _your _dignity, that's all I can say."Zosh glared at the haircut, then, with one final sigh of disapproval Zosh handed Alex the palm computer with the design specifications for several of the protoss spacecraft.

Alex he turned his attention to the files on the small computer.After a few minutes he said, "These designs are incredibly intricate, but I'm still confident I can go ahead with my plans.I just wish this were printed in the terran language.I can read this stuff, but my computers can't, so it means I'll have to spend a lot of time just entering in information."

Zosh glared at Alex and said, "You just be sure that your confederate government doesn't get a hold of all of this information."

"Don't worry, I'm definitely not going to let that happen," said Alex.Then he thought for a minute and said, "You know, I just got this apartment, but I think it would be better, with all of these secrets that I have to protect, that I should probably just move into that warehouse.Yeah, I think I have to.I just feel really dumb moving out the day after I move in."

"As you should," said Zosh sharply.Then he laughed, "See?I'm trying to develop a terran sense of humor too."

"Uh, I'd stick to being a just acting like a protoss if I were you," said Alex.

"Yeah, yeah," said Zosh.

Then Alex suddenly looked up at Zosh and said, "You know, I heard that the protoss attacked a terran colony about a month ago.What do you know about that?"

Zosh replied, "There is more to that story than you know.It was a templar named Tassadar who lead the attack.But he did not wish to do so; he was ordered by the conclave to do it because they detected that the world was seeded with the Zerg, unbeknownst to the terran inhabitants.It was believed that the Zerg were going to use the world to mount an attack.So Tassadar needed to eradicate the infestation immediately, and, very sadly, the terrans were caught in the midst of this.

This _Tassadar_…you should know that he's not an evil protoss.He actually answered our people's telepathic call, and he visited Shakuras.He has forsaken the conclave's prejudices against us, and he wishes to reunite our people with his."

Alex sighed, "Well, I don't know what to think.If I didn't hate the Zerg so much, then I wouldn't be able to forgive his actions."Alex started to get angry and he said,"But to my very core I hate those slimy pieces of shit!"As Alex spoke, he clenched his fists and his eyes began to glow blue.The air rippled around him, and he looked terrifying.Zosh nervously stepped back.

A few seconds later Alex calmed down and his eyes returned to normal and he said, "I'm sorry father."

Zosh put his hand on Alex's shoulder and said, "Don't be sorry, I hate the Zerg for what they did to Maggie as well, not to mention what they're doing to my people."

Alex took a minute to breath and then he said, "Alright, I'll get started with this," holding up the small protoss computer."The plan stays the same, agreed?"

"Yes," said Zosh, "I'm quickly mastering the recall technique, and should be ready in a few days at the longest"

"Alright, that's fine," said Alex.

Zosh opened up the side of the arbiter ship and a small yellow robotic probe hovered out.Zosh sighed, "Here it is.It's programmed with the frequencies of the Shakuras matrix, so it can warp in a pylon for you.Just don't warp in more than one pylon for yourself, or they might notice and trace your signature."

"I should only need one," said Alex."Anyway, thank you very much for this."

Zosh peered at Alex and said, "How exactly are you going to get it back to your place?"

Alex smirked and said, "I've been playing with this psionic shield of mine.I think I can widen it enough to fit around the probe as long as we're really close together.Here, I'll try."With that, he jumped on top of the hovering probe and sat down on the top and crossed his legs.Slowly, he and the probe went invisible.

Zosh's eyes widened and he exclaimed, "You never cease to amaze me Alex, you're truly an incredible little terran."

Alex sighed while still invisible, "Actually, this is taking a hell of a lot of concentration.It's going to be hard to maintain this and telepathically command this probe at the same time."Alex shut his eyes and commanded the probe to move forward.

Zosh barely made out a blur, and his eyes filled with pride and amazement at Alex's abilities.Suddenly Zosh heard Alex cry, "AAAHHH!"Zosh watched as the blur swerved to the right suddenly, so suddenly that Alex rolled forward, and went visible the second he hit the dirt.

Alex picked himself up and glared at the probe and said, "Piece of crap!I didn't tell you to turn so fast!"

Zosh had to bend forward from how hard he was laughing, and he almost accidentally sliced off his own leg in the motion from his psi-blade dangling and flailing around.

Alex rolled his eyes and said, "Alright, maybe I'll have to find another way to get this thing in there."

"No," said Zosh."We have a satellite layout of this planet more or less, and I pinpointed where you were transmitting from earlier today.I can just command the probe to go to that location, and all you have to do is get on and enjoy the ride."

"Yeah, that's _all _I have to do," said Alex with an annoyance in his voice."Tell me father, can _you _bend the light around both a probe and yourself at the same time?"

"Point taken," said Zosh."But don't forget who taught you those abilities in the first place."

"I won't," said Alex."Now lets get this thing moving, I'm really anxious to get the pylon in."

"Just to be sure Alex," said Zosh, "you _do _have a large enough structure to hide the pylon in don't you?"

"Twenty five meters," said Alex."Come on Zosh, you know I don't make stupid mistakes like that."

"What do you call falling off a probe?" asked Zosh.

Alex rolled his eyes and jumped on the probe and with it, became invisible.He said, "Just order the thing to go please."

"Fine," said Zosh.He linked up to the psychic data of the planet Delmagoth, and telepathically ordered the probe to the location where Alex had been transmitting from earlier.Zosh watched the slight blur caused by the motion as Alex and the probe moved away. 

Alex got back to his warehouse, but he was forced to jump off the probe and become visible to open the door.Luckily no one seemed to be around, and he got it inside ok.He sent it to the back of the warehouse and ordered it to warp in a pylon immediately.The probe moved in and opened a swirling blue warp field.Alex watched in amazement, and after a minute or so, a white light shined through the field and took the shape of a massive pylon, and with a sort of whining sound, the shape solidified, and the huge crystal structure stood before him.

The pylon had a very definite glow of it's own, and a subtle humming noise.He took a few minutes just to marvel at it.Once the feeling had passed, he jumped in his SCV and began setting up the metal walls around the pylon.He knew that he would have to have it hidden incase a visitor came by.He shaped and welded the tall walls together quickly, and left himself a thick metal door that he could unlock and enter just to see the pylon from time to time, or destroy it quickly if need be, though he almost shuddered at the thought.

When he was done, he quickly created a second structure, a sort of miniature garage, just big enough for the probe to enter and conceal itself in.As he ordered the probe to get inside and shut the door behind itself, he watched it do so, and he marveled at the probe's artificial intelligence.He knew that if he could somehow tap into that technology…He was forced to shut himself off from that line of thinking; he knew that the goals he had set for himself were already incredibly ambitious and difficult, and that they would take him an extremely long time.In fact, as he looked over the data in the protoss computer in his hand, he began to wonder if it would just be faster to put himself in cold sleep and take a ship back to earth.

Over the next week, Alex laid out his plans carefully, while he waited for Zosh to master the recall ability of the arbiter.Alex wasn't annoyed that it was taking Zosh longer than expected, for he was extremely preoccupied with his work.He had the three computers set up in a row, linked up to one another, and they were all connected to a large three-dimensional holographic projector.He already had the 3D-blue prints for a Battlecruiser with Yamamoto capabilities.He also had the blue prints for nearly every other major unit in the terran military, but he chose the Battlecruiser as his foundation.It was a giant clunker of a ship, with plenty of extra room for additions, which was exactly what he needed.There was certainly a problem with the speed of the vessel, but as Alex looked over the data that Zosh had given him, he saw that it might be easy to convert the Battlecruiser's engines into modified Gravitic Thrusters, similar to the ones on an upgraded protoss scout vessel.He just had to solve the antigravity field's possible interaction with the Colossus core, which he guessed would be a relatively simple matter.

Over that week, he also gave Eliza several calls.He really enjoyed talking to her for some reason that he couldn't explain.She seemed extremely intelligent, and she seemed to have more compassion and respect for life than anyone else he had met in his own race.She asked him to go to a few parties with her, but he made the excuse, _"I'm stuck working then."_He could tell that she was really interested in him, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it.He had learned a little about the confederate's policies, like how they had no problem resorting to torturing or executing the loved ones of those who became enemies of the state.Alex wasn't sure what sort of trouble he might end up getting himself into with the confederacy, but he couldn't stand the idea of someone else being hurt or killed to get to him.Still, he had to admit that it she stirred up something in him that was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

Finally, at about the end of the day, the transmission came through the medallion, "Alex, are you there?"

"Yes father," said Alex."Are you ready?"

"Well Alex, I have another solution to our problem," said Zosh."There's been a massive battle on a molten world called Garjin.A protoss fleet and a terran fleet descended upon the world to eradicate the Zerg there, and they both succeeded, but then they met each other, and a fought.Surprisingly, the terran fleet stood up to the protoss fleet, and to the best of my knowledge, neither side made it out with more than a handful of ships.There are debris everywhere, probably enough broken arbiter ships either salvage or piece together a Khaydarin Core."

"That's perfect!" exclaimed Alex."There're probably broken up Battlecruisers as well.I could get everything I need in a day!"Alex calmed down and thought for a minute and said, "Tell me about this world though, does either side intend to go back?"

"Well I can't speak for the terrans, but I don't believe the conclave has any plans to return there.The world isn't really suitable for sustaining life for any great length of time; it has volcanic activity over almost every part of its surface.Also, the world is barren of both minerals and gas, so it's questionable as to why the Zerg desired it.Most likely that's why there were so few Zerg there, because they were abandoning it."

Alex smiled and said, "Wow father, you really outdid yourself here.I can piece together everything I need on this world, probably without fear of any of the three powers in this war."

"Yes," said Zosh, "and that's what I was counting on.You see, I've come across two small warp-gates.We can set up one in your lab, or wherever, and then another on Garjin.You can move from world to world whenever you like, and construct your ship hundreds of light-years away from your lab.Plus, as an added bonus for your poor worried foster father, you can have a secondary escape from the terrans if something happens to me."

"Don't talk like that," said Alex. "I can't stand even _thinking_ about the Zerg getting you."

"The Zerg aren't the only enemies in this war," said Zosh, with distain in his voice."There's the conclave, which even though we're taking steps to help, might still turn on us.And then there are…the terrans."

"I really don't know what to say about that," said Alex."I get the feeling that my people want to rise up against the confederacy, but they're too afraid to do so.I hope you don't hate us."

"I don't hate _you _Alex," said Zosh."Never think that.But your people have spilled much protoss blood in their last few campaigns.Your race has become almost as hated as the Zerg itself among my people."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Alex.He paused and thought for a minute and then said, "I still believe our peoples can come together in the end."

"It would take a lot," said Zosh with a doubtful tone in his voice.

Alex and Zosh fell silent.Even though they were separated by many light-years, they could sense the worry in one another.

After a minute or so, Zosh's voice came through the communicator again, "Alex, we need not think on these things now.Your plan may work; the terrans on earth may hold the key to everything.Let's get your ship built and set things in motion."

"Alright," said Alex, the depression going out of his voice.

"Now, I can warp you whenever you're ready," said Zosh.

Alex took a minute to make sure that everything in his lab was locked up, and then he said, "Ok father, let's do it."

Quite suddenly a swirling blue field of energy began to abruptly spin around Alex's entire body, and for a few seconds he could almost feel his hold on the physical universe slip away.The blue swirls around him began to penetrate every atom in his body.He couldn't tell at exactly what point he shifted locations, for he couldn't see, hear, or feel anything.

After a few seconds he could see again, and the blue swirls began to fade away, revealing a very different environment than the one he had been in less than a minute ago.He stood on molten ash, looking out across a vast and unending plain of black rock filled with areas of glowing orange cracks.And everywhere he looked, there was strung broken ship after broken ship, both protoss and terran.Mostly in pieces, but a few looked relatively intact here and there.

It felt warm, very warm.He instinctively raised his psionic shield and cancelled out as much of the heat as he could.

Zosh's voice came in from behind, "Pretty hot eh?"

Alex turned around to see Zosh leaning against his arbiter.Alex sighed, "Yeah, I think I'll need some sort of enviro-system.I think the one in the SCV will do."

"I thought you were tougher than that," said Zosh, with a friendly mocking tone in his voice.

"Yeah well, we can't _all _be genetically engineered by the Xel'Naga to be the ultimate beings," said Alex.

Zosh rolled his eyes and said, "Come on my little son."He motioned Alex to follow him and they walked past the arbiter to the edge of a cliff.He gestured over the edge of the cliff and said, "Look what I found for you."

Alex looked down and saw inside of a small basin, the huge yellow pyramid with four arcing pillars and a glowing crystal at the top.Alex peered at the structure and said, "That's a…Nexus…isn't it Zosh?"

"Yes," said Zosh."I said this world was barren of minerals, but evidently there are a few tiny deposits here and there.There are a few probes left down there, and possibly you can warp in six or seven more without anyone noticing.I don't know how useful all of this will be to you, since I really don't understand what you're doing, but I figure—"  
"It will be very useful," said Alex."But why didn't you just land the arbiter down there?"

"Take a look Alex, I can't land the arbiter with such jagged rocks sticking out all around," said Zosh."They must have used shuttles to drop probes down there.We'll have to build some sort of stairway or something going down into the basin so you can get in and out.It should only take a few days with the right equipment."

"Hmm," Alex murmured out loud."Father, I want to work quickly.I think I'll just make a passage right now.Stand back please."

Zosh rolled his eyes and moved back.He chuckled, "Ok well, once you break a few rocks with your psionic blasts, we can go get the equipment."

Alex remembered that he hadn't shown Zosh the full extent of his abilities.Before, he had worried about Zosh's pride being hurt.But now, he could tell that Zosh truly had accepted him as a son, so Alex felt that the only thing Zosh would feel would be pride.

Alex smirked and looked back at Zosh and said, "Father, you're really gonna be impressed by this."Alex took in the full view of the basin, and the angle at which he needed to send the beam.Then he backed up a few feet, focused his mind, and summoned his energies.He held out his hands and sent out a massive blast of psionic energy.

Zosh barely saw the first seconds of glowing coming from Alex when the psionic energy hit the molten rock, and then an explosion sent ash everywhere.The cloud spread everywhere, and Zosh couldn't see past his psionic shield.He began to panic, thinking that something had gone terribly wrong.He called out, "ALEX! ALEX!"

He heard Alex chuckling through the ash cloud.Alex shouted, "Hey father, you gotta see this."

As the smoke cleared, Zosh made out a blue glow, and he moved forward towards it.As he got closer, he began to see what it was, Alex's eyes were still glowing bright blue.Alex either wasn't aware of his eyes, or he didn't care, for he still had a smile on his face, and he was gesturing downward.

Zosh walked up, and when he looked down, he gasped.Alex had blasted right through at least thirty meters of solid rock.Somehow, he had been able to curve his blast, and it created a perfect slope going down the side of the cliff to the basin.Zosh was utterly speechless; having had no idea that Alex was anywhere near this powerful.

Alex looked down the side and spoke with almost disappointment in his voice, "Damn, it's only about a meter wide.I'll have to send a second blast if I'm gonna get the SCV down this thing."

Zosh was almost trembling.He knew from what he just saw, that there was no unit, and perhaps no structure in the entire protoss military that could stand up to a blast like that.In his small surrogate son, so young and fragile, lay more psychic strength than any protoss in history.He began to feel genuine fear as he looked at Alex.

But then Zosh looked into Alex's eyes, which were slowly losing their blue glow.He almost instinctively reached into Alex's mind for reassurance.He sensed the friendliness; the strong and genuine drive to do the right thing, which had been instilled on him from a very early age.He sensed an extremely powerful and intelligent mind, but it had an innocence about it.The thought of hurting another person, terran or protoss, disgusted Alex.He had hatred in his soul, but it was only for the Zerg and the people who were responsible for putting his mother through the ghost program.Other than that, Alex seemed almost incapable of hate, or even anger.

When Zosh came out of the telepathic link he had a new appreciation for Alex, and he felt more pride and honor than he had ever felt in his life, that the incredible being called him: _Father_.He gave the semblance of a smile with his eyes at Alex, and said, "Your mother would be so very proud of you Alex."

The compliment seemed to take Alex very much by surprise.He had an almost shocked look at first, but then he smiled. "Do you really think so?" said Alex, his voice showing that the compliment meant even more to him than Zosh could've expected.

Zosh beamed, "Your mother never could have known how incredible her son would become."

Just then, out of some corner off in the distance, they heard a scampering sound.They both turned to see it, a little zergling, some small part of the infestation that had slipped through the cracks and avoided the eradication that befell the others.

As Zosh looked at it, he realized that it must have seen his ship while he was surveying the area, and it must have given chase without him realizing it.The disgusting creature was only now catching up from a chase that Zosh hadn't even known was taking place.

Zosh shut his eyes and extended his psi-blade, but as he did so, his foot fell on loose rock left over from Alex's blast, and he stumbled on it and fell back.He jolted his torso forward and caught onto the edge of the cliff just in time to avoid a great fall.Zosh started pulling himself up, but he was having trouble, as the jagged rock that he was hanging onto was extremely loose.He looked up at Alex.

The second Alex had seen the Zergling; it sent a paralyzing sensation through his body.He had never seen one before, a member of the single-minded race that had killed his mother.As he looked at it, rushing towards him, he could barely accept that it was there at all.From behind, Zosh began to shout out at him, but the words didn't register in Alex's mind.His mind had partially reverted to the time when he was five years old, when he was hearing, or rather sensing his mother's telepathic communication to him, where she said her final goodbye.It flash through his mind, being perhaps being as real to him at that moment as it had been when it had happened.

The zergling came charging in at full speed, its incredibly thick and pointed scull poised to ram into Alex's chest, it's claws ready to tear him open as he died.And Alex stood there, with not even the most basic body armor, and in such a state that he couldn't think to raise his psionic shield.

The zergling came, and in whatever way he was capable in his state of mind Alex saw it, but instead of relying on his psionic abilities, he just shot his hands out stupidly.The zergling rammed its head instinctively at Alex's open hand, and with no protective force, the bones in Alex's arm buckled and snapped like twigs.The intense pain was enough to snap Alex somewhat out of his trancelike state.He realized that his life was in danger, and he raised his shield around himself.

The zergling charged at him, and slammed into his blue shield with incredible force, the psionic shield knocked it back, but it instantly charged again.Alex just stared at it as it charged him again and again, only distantly aware that his shield was being depleted.As furiously as it was coming at him, he was somehow seeing everything in slow motion.

Alex watched the hideous creature slam into his shield, and saw the sparkling blue around him tremble at the impact.He looked down and saw his mangled arm, the extremely dark blue blotches telling of internal bleeding.Whatever he was going through, he managed to comprehend that if he didn't act in the next few seconds, he would be killed.He realized that enough time had passed, and his psionic energy had built back up enough for a blast.He took a deep breath and rose up the palm of his remaining good arm and aimed at the zergling.He shut his eyes and sent a rupture of energy through his palm, and so undirected was it, that it came out more like a wide spray than a beam.He shut his eyes as the energy came out.

When Alex opened his eyes again, he wasn't aware how much time had passed.He felt his body shaking, and he looked up to see Zosh was the one shaking him.He looked in front of himself and saw no sign that the zergling had been there, but only a deep and wide hole in the rock where it had been standing.

"Are you alright?" shouted Zosh."Answer me Alex!Please!"

Alex rubbed his face with the hand on his good arm and said, "Yeah father, I'm fine."

"Your arm is broken," said Zosh with alarm in his voice.

"Alex looked down at it, comprehending again that he was feeling pain, and then psionically suppressing that pain."It's fine," he said with almost no emotion in his voice."Eliza can fix it when I go back.Anyway, let's talk about these warp gates."

"But…your…arm," said Zosh with even more alarm.

"I said it's fine, now let's figure out how we're going to deal with the warp gates.Do they need to be within a pylon's field, or are they self sustaining."

Zosh couldn't respond at first, he was still looking at Alex's mangled arm.Finally he said, "The warp gates—uh—yes—they need to be within the field of a pylon."

"I guess that means I'm going to have to set up one of the gates within the range of the pylon in my lab," said Alex."I wonder how I can get the warp-gate in there without anyone noticing."

Zosh, still in partial disbelief at Alex's lack of concern for his mangled arm, said slowly, "Well… it's not as big of a matter as you think.The probe I gave you should be able to warp it in once it has the signal."

Zosh walked down the ramp that Alex had made in the rock, and walked up to the Nexus.As he got closer, he transmitted a protoss code through a small computer on his belt, and the Nexus emitted an echoing "Ding" and the color streaks on the sides changed to the shade of Zosh's cloak.He walked up to the probes and they did the same.

"Now all of this is under our control," said Zosh.Zosh hit a few buttons on his belt computer and transmitted the proper frequencies to the probe; then Zosh telepathically ordered the probe to move near one of the pylons and begin the warp sequence.The probe moved in and opened up the war-field, and the standard spiraling of bluish light occurred.After about a minute, the light took its shape and solidified into the warp gate.It was an oval shape up on a pedestal, about fifteen feet tall all and all.

"Not a full sized model," said Zosh, "but it was the best I could do."

"It's big enough to fit the SCV," said Alex, "and that's all I need.Thank you father.With all these spare parts, this should cut months off of the construction."

Zosh looked around and said, "I didn't expect that there would be any Zerg left on this world, but apparently there could be a few still running rampant.I want to set up cannons around the perimeter of this area, just in case.I'll have the probes warp in a few, and then come up with some explanation to give the tribe for doing it later."

"Don't get yourself in any trouble father," said Alex.

"Worry not Alex," said Zosh, "keeping you a secret for all these years has made me a very good liar."

"Well, just be careful anyway," said Alex."You and I father, we can change the universe I believe, but not if you're in some protoss prison."

Zosh chuckled, "You're a little over confident I think.As powerful as you've become, you have to remember that you are only one, and I, I'm nothing special, just another dark templar."

"That's crap," said Alex."Maybe we'll fail…hell, maybe we'll be killed, but _I'm _not going to pollute myself with such worries.That's not the way you taught me to think.What was it you always said, oh yes:_A true warrior needn't fear failure, for so long as he conquers his fear and fights for what he believes in, he has truly succeeded, whether he lives or dies._"

"An old protoss saying," said Zosh."But I'm finding that old protoss sayings give little help in the _real _hardships that the universe brings."

"What do you mean?" asked Alex.

Zosh gestured up the cliff and said, "Up there, I thought you were going to die.I raised you Alex, and no philosophical term would ease the pain of your passing."Zosh sighed and his voice carried a melancholy sadness in it, "I see battle reports almost every day on the war now.I can't even guess how many thousands of protoss have charged in shouting their battle call:_My life for Aiur!_And wave after wave after wave after wave of them are eradicated.Can you even imagine that kind of loss?Can you?I am not old enough to have seen any part of the Aeon of Strife, but-"

"Stop it father," said Alex."It doesn't do any good for us to think on these things now. When that zergling came at me, all I could think about what my mother, and what _they _did to her."Alex clenched his fist and paused, suppressing the surge of emotions pushing up inside him.He swallowed and continued, "That nearly cost me my life.But if I died like that, then I couldn't go on and honor her, and what she did for me.And if you give into the depression that this war is bringing, then you'll end up making a mistake and dying.And all these protoss you speak of; you won't be able to honor their noble sacrifices by helping your people._That's _what we have to do father, we _owe _it to them."

Zosh put his hand on Alex's shoulder and said, "You're wise far beyond your years, and of course, you are correct.Now is not the time to reflect, now is the time to act."

"Good," said Alex."Now lets set up these cannons of yours and then get back to Delmagoth, my arm hurts like hell."

Zosh quickly directed the probes about to set up cannons around the edge of the basin, and then he and Alex got in the arbiter and passed through a warp tunnel back to Delmagoth, where he set Alex down about two kilometers away from the edge of the terran city.

As Alex got out, Zosh tossed him a small round yellow protoss computer and said, "Use that to transmit the data into your probe.Then just instruct it to warp in the other gate, and you'll be all set up."

"Thanks father," said Alex."I'll contact you again soon.Goodbye."

"Goodbye son," said Zosh.

Alex shoved the small protoss computer into his pocket and dashed through the jungle terrain towards the city.He made it back quickly, and headed strait to the emergency room where, to his relief, Eliza was still on duty.

He walked up to her and held up his horribly bruised and broken arm and said calmly, "I need your help."

"HOLY SHIT!" she almost screamed.

Alex glanced at his arm, and noted how swollen it had become, he hadn't realized just how much.He put his hand on it, and found that the surface of the skin on his arm was warmer than the rest of his body.

Eliza dashed up and inspected the wound, almost panicking, despite her medic training.She looked up at Alex's face, which was calm."You must be in shock," she said.

"Yeah that must be it," he sighed."Now could you please help me out with this, I have a lot of work to get done tonight."

"What is it with you?" she demanded, almost angry.

"What do you mean?" he said.

She grabbed his good arm and led him into the back while saying, "You're so weird!Do you care about _anything _other than your stupid fucking work?"

Alex scanned the surface of her mind, realized that she was a little upset that he had continuously blown her off with the excuse of work.He hadn't realized that she was worried about him, and she was angry with him because she felt like he was toying with her, calling her and having long conversations, but then just telling her that he was too busy to do anything.

He looked up at her and said, "Eliza, I—"

"Just get on the damn bed," she snapped."After I reset all your bones then I'll get out the laser again that _I'm not supposed to be using, _and fix you up."She glared at him and said, "How the hell did you do this to yourself anyway."Then, as if she suddenly felt embarrassed by her outburst, she calmed down and said, "I'm sorry.I didn't mean to yell at you.It's been a really long day."

Alex motioned at his arm with his eyes and said, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

She took him over to a large flat white glowing panel and said, "Gently put your arm over this if you can."

Alex slowly raised his arm up and laid it across the panel.Eliza bit down as she watched him do it without even trembling."You really are something Alex," she said.Then she straightened up and said, "Computer, activate bio-scan panel three."

Alex heard a "BEEP" and then the panel under his arm seemed to get warm for a minute.Then, across the room, a large three-dimensional holographic projection of his arm came up.Eliza peered at it and said, "Damn Alex, eight breaks.Just how _did_ you do this to yourself?"

"Do I have to tell you?" he said, realizing that for some reason, he really didn't want to lie to her.

"I _guess _not," she said."I'm not going to report this, considering that I'll illegally be using the medic laser to help you."She peered at him, and said, "But why don't you want to tell me?Is there something you need to hide?I know that usually developers are not supposed to talk about military research, but since I'm putting my career at risk just to help you—"

"I suppose I could tell you sometime," said Alex."But it's complicated, really complicated the way my life is right now, and the way it's always been."

"Huh?" she said."I don't really know, but they way you talk about your life, it doesn't sound like this has anything to do with research."She looked at him with uneasiness in her eyes.

He couldn't help reading her mind.She was thinking that he was some kind of terrorist, and actually, he supposed that from a certain point of view she was correct.He quickly said, "Oh, I was just talking about the way I take stupid risks."

"Oh," she said, and he could tell that she believed him, which somehow made him feel all the guiltier for lying to her.

"Anyway," he said, "let's get me fixed please."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You know, usually I would administer an anesthetic for something like this, but with _your _pain tolerance, I'm not sure it's necessary."

"It's not," he said."Seriously, I'm really anxious to get to work."

She sighed and held his arm over the bio-scanner and worked all of his bones back into place, and as she did this through the swelling, Alex didn't even twitch.

Once it was done, she walked in and turned on the medic-laser and healed Alex up perfectly in a matter of seconds.

As Alex thanked her for her help, she took a deep breath and said, "Alex, I feel really stupid inviting you everywhere and getting turned down.So…even though I shouldn't, I'll give you one last chance.Are you interested in me or not?"

He hesitated, both filled with worry and excitement.Finally he spoke, saying, "Yes, I'm interested in you, very much.But…I'm worried about a few things that—"

She interrupted him, "Listen; there are two alien races attacking our people for no apparent reason.A damn Zerg or protoss force could come and kills us all at any time.We have no way of knowing how long we'll be alive at this point in time, so that makes it all the more important that we look for happiness while we still can.So stop worrying so much, you might be wasting what short time you have.I can tell that you're a really good person, and you're not like all the jerks around here, so whatever your problems are, I'll try hard to accept them.Let's just try to have some good times while we can."

Alex couldn't help sensing her thoughts as she spoke.She believed that if she didn't die from a random attack, then she would die in the field as a medic.She had accepted the fact that she wouldn't live to a ripe old age, as well as a sixteen year old girl _could_ accept something like that.

He smiled at her and said, "You're right.Sorry I acted like such an idiot."

"Apology accepted," she said.

"Alright, I have to get back and set up some stuff, but I'll call you tomorrow," he said.

"Ok," she said."But seriously, stop working so damn much.Whatever you're doing can't be worth this much effort."

"We'll see," said Alex.

Alex quickly went back to his lab/home and entered the data into the probe, and then had it warp the gateway in close to the back where the pylon was hidden.Once it was in he wasted no time marveling at it.He got to work putting metal casing around it to conceal it from anyone who might come in.He covered the base completely, but he had to be more careful with the actual field generator sections in the oval.He put metal strips where he could, but it still looked pretty odd when he was done, with chunks of crystal exposed.He didn't care though; he just decided to clutter his lab up with obscuring metal everywhere, just to further conceal everything.

Once he put up some particularly obscuring metal partitions, he felt he had done enough.He decided to go through the gateway back to Garjin, to get started on his ship.He telepathically activated the gateway, waited a few seconds for the blue warp field to build up, and then he jumped in the SCV and passed through.About a minute later, he was on the planet Garjin, on the platform of the other gateway.He took the SCV to the ramp, and after jumping out and widening the ramp with a powerful psionic blast, he went up.

He spent about five hours scavenging.He gathered up every intact piece he could get his hands on, scanning the images into the SCV's computer and cataloging them.Once he felt he had enough for the preliminary construction, he searched around and found the most intact of the fallen Battlecruisers.It was split in half sideways, but otherwise was in relatively good shape.

He got out of the SCV and carefully began to inspect the massive ship.From the computer's diagrams, he had known the setup, but he hadn't comprehended just how large an actual battle cruiser was.He read from the side that this particular Battlecruiser had been the flagship of the terran fleet, the generals own ship, with extra armoring.He guessed that this was the reason why it was so much more intact than any of the other ships lying near it.

Just looking at the ship, he could tell that there was a lot of extra room for augmentation.The empty cargo section of the ship alone was about the same size as the huge warehouse that Alex was using.Alex guessed that even after he had installed all of the protoss devices in the ship, there would still be plenty of room to run around on the deck.As he looked at it, he could certainly tell why this was the obvious choice vessel for any commanding officer.

He suddenly realized that the vessel was in such good condition that he could simply repair it right there with his SCV, and probably in a matter of minutes.The only problem was that he didn't have enough minerals on hand, but then, he reminded himself of the nexus below.He moved the SCV back down and gathered up the excess gas and minerals from the Nexus and then went back and repaired the Battlecruiser to perfect condition.

Once it was repaired, he entered the vessel and walked to the cockpit, which to his dismay, still held the dead bodies of the pilot and the general.He pinched his nose to block out the smell as he carried them out.Then, just to be respectful, he used the SCV to quickly make a hole in a patch of dirt and where he buried the bodies.

Then he got back in the Battlecruiser and flipped on the ships computers.The controls were far more complicated than those of the wraith, but he quickly found the vessel's operation manual, and spent about three hours teaching himself about any controls he didn't recognize.Once he felt he was ready, he took a deep breath and took the controls and raised the ship up off the ground.Everything worked perfectly, and the massive vessel went up nice and smooth.But to his dismay, when he started flying the thing, it moved even slower than he had guessed.He realized he could _run _faster than the ship would go on its thrusters.

"This is ridiculous," he said out loud in annoyance.

He moved the ship next to the defense cannons where he landed it.As he got out and looked over all the salvaged gravitic thrusters he had gotten from protoss scouts, knew that it would be a hard job to combine them with the Battlecruiser, but well worth the effort.He looked back at the huge vessel and said, "Next time you go up you're gonna be a lot faster."

-To be continued

**Big battle coming soon I think.That was really cool how several people responded to my question in the last chapter.Thanks for the reassurance.I actually found out that someone posted my story on another site without telling me; I guess it's flattering.Anyway, if you're interested, I'll tell you what's going on with the writing:I wrote the first few chapters about the time that brood wars came out, just because I really like writing when I can't sleep.I nervously showed the story to a few people and they said they liked it, but I wasn't planning to do anything with the story.I just kind of put it aside with the thirty or so other short stories that I've started during the course of whatever sleeping disorder I have.Then, about a weak or so ago, I somehow followed a link or something to fanfiction.net, and I figured, _ah what the hell_?So I put the story up and I got I think 3 reviews, which really excited me (hahah I'm such a dork), and since I always write _something _when the insomnia comes, I decided to start writing this story again.It's fun to write sci-fi, and starcraft has a pretty fun premise to work with.**

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**(More boring and useless information)**

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**I guess my two main influences for this story (other than the obvious starcraft game) would be the two sci-fi books I recently read.Stranger in a Strange Land (really weird but it sort of a fun story I think) and the book DUNE (don't judge it by the lame ass 1981 movie, the book is WAY better.In fact, I'm such a dork that I'm all excited about the NEW movie that the sci-fi channel is making (set to come out some time in December in a 3 part mini series if you care to tune in.I hope they do it right this time)**

**P.S:I'm not going to hit you over the head with the love story in coming chapters, it's just there because I have a really cool girlfriend right now (she doesn't know I write stories at night) and I just felt like putting in some sort of love interest for Alex.I hope I didn't lose any readers because of it, heheh.**

**To anyone who has cared to read this far, thank you very much for the interest, and please, as always, post reviews.It's really cool for a writer to see reviews up there.It makes me feel like all this work at 3am isn't a COMPLETE waste of time, heheh.**

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**Super-Loki**

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	7. Default Chapter Title

# Chapter 7: All In a Day

(Sorry that I took so long, but at least this is nice and long.)

Five months past quickly for Alex, so much happening all at once.His ship, which he had named: The Magreha, as a sort of combination of the names of his two dead mothers, had been in a constant state of evolution.In the first three weeks he had multiplied the speed at least four times over, but that was only the beginning.After salvaging the strongest psi-field generator he could find off of an upgraded protoss carrier, and some careful interlacing of the cores, the Magreha had its own plasma shield, which protected its already extremely powerful outer armor.

Unfortunately, he could never manufacture the proper resonance to the ships laser batteries so they could pass through the plasma shield and fire on any targets.Effectively, his own shields rendered him powerless to fight until they were depleted.At first, Alex decided to take off the psi-field generators, but then, as he was inadvertently looking through blue prints, he realized that he had all the necessary parts to put a protoss carrier bay under the hull of his ship.There, he realized, he could manufacture and store computer guided interceptors, which could be set to pass through his plasma shields and attack targets.

He began to reconstruct the bay under the hull, but as he got about halfway through, he realized that the interceptors, although having their own plasma shields, were made of the inferior protoss material.So, he scrapped everything, and started over, creating a manufacturing bay, which used terran metal, but still maintained the protoss system of plasma shields and computer guided attacks.

All this while carefully installing the khaydarin core so that the ship would have arbiter capabilities ended up being an even more complicated task than he had imagined.Sleep became only an occasional thing for Alex during those months.He would work on his ship for as long as sixty hours straight, with only short breaks with time enough to eat.Only Alex's psionic connection to his body and extreme will power kept him going where a normal terran would have given out to physical and mental exhaustion.

In the midst of all of this, Alex was getting closer and closer to Eliza.The time he spent with her, along with occasional transmitted conversations with Zosh, represented at least nine tenths of his social life.She and Alex had an extremely happy relationship, except for the fact that she became furious when he would disappear for up to six days at a time.She was the forgiving type…eventually, so it all worked out.

He also developed a friendship with Nathan, the first person he had talked to when he came to the planet.Nathan was, just as he had put it, the _nicest bastard_ Alex knew.Unfortunately, due to Alex's lack of free time, they rarely hung out.Still, Alex could tell that Nathan was someone he might be able to trust, when the time came, and Alex might be pushed into making a move.He found himself very worried about the time when Nathan might be subjected to the Neural Resocialization, which the confederacy was implementing on more and more of its marines.If this were done, Alex knew, it would leave Nathan with only a small trace of his original personality, for the purpose of making him a fearless, and mindless, soldier.

There were so many considerations that Alex made during all of this.Eradicating the Zerg was his top priority, and though he knew he certainly could not do this himself, he still believed that the solution might lie in the almost legendary world called "_Earth_," where the terrans had come from so long ago.

At the end of the sixth month since he had come to the terran world, Zosh came to inspect Alex's ship.As his arbiter dropped down and he got out, Zosh's glowing eyes widened to an incredible extent as he looked on the Magreha.

Alex smiled at Zosh's reaction and said, "What do you think?"

Zosh paused, unsure what to say.Slowly he said, "Does this massive thing actually…_work_?"

"Of course it works," said Alex."That is, everything that I've been able to test works.But of course, I don't have the mental discipline to activate the khaydarin core, and that's why I need you here.Just take a look inside the ship, I'll be in your head sucking up your training."

Zosh was a bit annoyed at the casualness in Alex's voice as he spoke of going inside Zosh's mind and taking in the course of probably a few hours, what it had taken Zosh weeks to master.But this feeling passed quickly as he entered the Magreha, and was immediately overwhelmed by the sight.

Zosh had not imagined such a perfect intertwining of protoss and terran technology was possible.The terran computer systems linked directly to the khaydarin crystal systems.It was genius, inventive and orderly.

Alex walked in from behind and said, "I can already store five interceptors more than a fully upgraded carrier, and I think I could get more if I tore out some of the cargo section.I'm not sure I should though.That would leave me with only the cockpit, and I may have to live on this ship for extended periods of time."

"Why would that be?" asked Zosh in surprise.

"Well, you know, sooner or later my people may catch on to me, and if that happens, I'll have to make a run for it."

"Oh, I'd forgotten about that," said Zosh."But obviously you haven't.You're an intelligent one Alex.It's good that you prepare for every eventuality."

"You can never prepare for _every _eventuality," said Alex."That's an old terran saying by the way."

"Hah!So your people _do _have a slight bit of wisdom about them," said Zosh."Oh well, little good it will do them in the end."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Alex, almost apprehensively.

Zosh's eyes narrowed, and he hesitated before speaking."Alex," he said, "when you go to earth, perhaps you should stay there.There is much blood yet to be spilt here, and of the three forces, perhaps only one shall have survived in the end."

"And your saying that its going to be protoss, which means that either you or the Zerg are going to wipe out all of the terrans here, is that it?" asked Alex.

Zosh sighed in a melancholy tone, "I do not believe my people would wipe out yours, even after all that has happened.But the wretched Zerg…if our intelligence is accurate, then they have invaded Aiur itself.If they could do such a thing Alex, invade the protoss home world, then I do not believe your people stand a chance.There are rumors, that even if you destroy an entire colony of Zerg, it can grow back in a matter of hours, perhaps a matter of minutes.It is whispered among the tribes that only the dark templar energies can truly harm the Zerg.I don't yet know what the foundation of this rumor is, but it comes from the highest levels."

Alex smiled and allowed his eyes to glow as he said, "Well, whose got more dark templar energy than me?"

"This is not a game!" snapped Zosh."I have raised you as a dark templar, but you are _not_ a dark templar Alex.I've struggled with this, in my mind, many times over the last season.If you were a protoss, as I wish you were, then you would still be considered a child at your age, and you would be kept from the fighting.It isn't right that you should fight, that you should…die."

"But I'm a terran father, and—"

"It matters not to me Alex," interrupted Zosh."You call me father, and I've come to view you as my son, no different than if you were my own blood.You've grown up almost in the blink of an eye, and the technicality of that being because you are a terran holds no barring to me.Every time I hear that the Zerg have attacked a terran colony, I race to the readout, desperately praying that nothing has happened to you.I've been frightened like that too many times.Promise me Alex, that if you find safety on this _earth, _then you will embrace it, and never return to this horrid war."

"Father, you know that I can't make such a promise," said Alex."If I have the power to help here, then I _must_ help, especially against the Zerg above all else.I'm sorry, but you can no more make such a request to me than I could ask you to abandon _your_ people if the Zerg come for them."

Zosh looked at Alex in silence for a solid minute or so."Alex," said Zosh finally, "I…knew what your answer would be, I didn't raise a coward, and yet I had to try."

"I know," said Alex."But don't worry about me, I don't have any plans to end up dead."

Zosh peered at Alex, and then around the incredible ship, and he said, "You know Alex, with a mind like yours, that statement you just made is actually reassuring, even in the face of the Zerg.So long as you control your emotions, I believe you just might find a way to survive this conflict."

Alex and Zosh sat and talked, while inwardly, Alex was drawing fourth the skill to operate the khaydarin core from Zosh's mind.After about an hour and a half, Alex suddenly stood up and said, "That's it, I have it all."Without another word, Alex got up and ran into the Magreha and put his hands on the khaydarin core.After a few seconds, a blue light emitted from the front of the ship, and then, over to the left, Zosh watched the blue, angular absolute pocket of space known as a _stasis field_ form around his arbiter.It looked like it was within a massive crystal or something.

Alex opened the door and ran back out of his ship and said, "What do you think father?"

"Very impressive, but you didn't have to have your first test on my ship," said Zosh.

"Oh what are you so worried about?" asked Alex."You know as well as I do that the core has a fail-safe mechanism for the stasis field function."

"I know," said Zosh, "I just didn't know if _you_ knew.I can never tell what your pulling from this old brain of mine."

"Only the things I need," said Alex."Just like with my own people.At first I used to go reading every thought around me, but not anymore.There's just things in a person's mind that nobody else has any business knowing.I'm not going to go into detail, but let's just say there are some _sick_ things going on in some of my people's heads."

Just then Alex's amulet beeped.

"Uh oh," said Alex, "Eliza's trying to get a hold of me."

Zosh exclaimed in alarm, "You gave another terran access to our technology?"

"No," said Alex."I hooked up a transmitter to my tellescreen.When it rings, and I don't answer, I programmed my computer to scan the voiceprint of the message the person leaves.If the voiceprint matches Eliza's, then it transmits a signal to me, which of course since it's a protoss subspace signal, can reach across all these light-years, but you already know that part.Anyway, I had to do it_, _because when she wants to talk to me and she can't find me, she gets _really _mad.She thinks I'm cheating on her."

"Cheating?" said Zosh in a puzzled tone.

"I'll explain the concept some other time," said Alex."I should be getting back.I know her schedule and she's supposed to be working right now, and she _never_ calls from work, so this must be important."

Alex said goodbye to Zosh and quickly passed through the warp-gate, where he came out a minute or so later in his lab.He went to the telescreen, but just then the buzzer on his door rang.He opened it to see a strange looking bald man standing there."Can I help you?" said Alex.

"Are you Alex Reeve?" asked the man in a cold voice.

"Uh, yeah," said Alex.

Just then Alex sensed another telepath around, not a protoss, but what had to be a ghost soldier.In the fraction of a second between curiosity and alarm, Alex heard the shot, and instantly felt a sharp stinging in his right shoulder.His psionic connection to his body told him what was happening instantly, he didn't even have to look down to know that he had been struck with some sort of drugged needle, and a ghost had fired it, from some unseen place.

Whatever drug it was, was working incredibly fast, and after only a second his vision began to go black.He staggered forward, gripped the jacket of the man in front of him and said, "Why?"

As Alex wobbled and tried to stay standing, he heard the man chuckled, "Impressive, very impressive.A regular man would already be out cold, you _definitely_ have the gift."

As Alex fell forward, to his knees, he managed to say, "How---did---you---find---out?"

"All in good time," said the man."We have a lot to talk about, you and I, and a few others in intelligence.I hope you've had a happy life, because it's all over now."

Alex fell forward, his entire body went limp, but he used every bit of psychic strength he had to stay conscious.He needed to know just one thing before he blacked out:_Would they know how to bypass his security system in the lab?_

He heard the man standing over him order a few men into the door.It was an echo like sound, so distant from him, but he forced himself to concentrate on it.He heard the footsteps of the men going in, one of them shouted:"He's got some kinda weird setup in here.Buncha crystals stickin out uh steal."

Then he heard the computer voice in his lab activate, "Unauthorized entry, intruders have ten seconds to vacate the premises."

"What the hell?" someone shouted.

"Ten," the computer voice said.

"Is this thing serious?"

"Nine."

"Where's the terminal?"

"Eight."

"Over here?No, that aint it."

"Seven."

"Look for it boys."

"Six."

"Five."

"Shit boss, I can't find where this damn system is."

"Four."

"Just shoot everything then."

"No you fool!"

"Three."

"We gotta get out of here."

"Two."

"Stand your ground men."

"Fuck you commander, I'm outta here!"

"One."

Then Alex heard an uproarious sound of a C10 explosive going off, the sound nearly split his ears.Alex heard the series of _all _the explosives he had placed begin to go off.He knew after that, that intelligence wouldn't get to his portal, or his ship.He allowed himself a small smile before his mind gave out completely to the blackness.

Alex awoke to two sensations, the sounds of voices speaking, and a splitting headache.He didn't open his eyes or increase his breathing; he stayed quiet and listened, trying to take stock of his situation.He wanted to reach out with his mind to the minds around them, and learn what he needed, but he could sense the ghost soldier near to him, and it made him uneasy about using any telepathy.He didn't know if the ghost would be able to sense a mind leap.

He heard speaking, between two men, he carefully took in their conversation:

"I'm telling you that this is just another psychic whose slipped through the confederation's program, nothing to get so worked up about," said one.

"How short sited you are Barns," said the other."I was there, he stood up to the serum for almost a minute."

"That's ridiculous," snapped the one who was apparently called Barns."You're obviously exaggerating greatly.Psionic or not, nothing but a Zerg could stand up to the serum the way you're saying.It's quite unprofessional of you to be spinning stories Johnson."

"Fool!The entire encounter was recorded, just look for yourself," said the one who was apparently called Johnson.

Just then the sound of a single pair of footsteps began to come from off in the distance.Alex heard Barns sigh, "Oh son of a bitch, it's the damn planetary governor Milton.You just know that _this_ is going to be trouble.Why do the local bum-fuck leaders think they can throw their weight around with intelligence?Back in the old days we'd just have—" Barns cut off as the footsteps drew nearer.When they sounded like they were within about ten feet, Barns said, "Good morning sir, it's a pleasure to—"

The third new voice cut Barns off, saying, "You better have a damn good reason for snatching up two of my citizens."

Barns sneered, "They are _confederate_ citizens first, the fact that they reside on the backwater little world that you've been assigned to doesn't mean that they're _your _citizens."

Johnson spoke up, "Forgive my associate sir, he's not accustomed to diplomacy."

"Diplomacy nothing," barked Milton."You've arrested a seventeen year old female medic, without any formal charges.I can only guess what kind of torture you're planning to subject her to find out whatever you _think _she might know.Maybe that kind of crap flies on Tarsonis, but not here."

"Sir," said Johnson, "perhaps we can explain our motivations to you."

"You damn well better," said Milton.

"All right sir," said Johnson, with only a touch of annoyance in his voice."That young man in the restraints there, he is what we call an unchecked psychic."

"Johnson!" exclaimed Barns.

"It's alright Barns, we do owe him an explanation," said Johnson."Anyhow, this man is a danger, a great danger to everyone around him.With his telepathic brain, he could learn any number of vital military secrets without ever putting himself in any danger."

Milton spoke slowly, "That's…interesting…if true.I guess you're claiming that this young man is some sort of secret telepathic agent for the Son's of Korhal?"

"Actually for an enemy far _more _dangerous," said Johnson."We took this from around his neck.I'm sure you've seen the reports on protoss technology.You really can't help but notice the similarities."

Milton paused, and then gasped, "I didn't realize."

"Yes sir, and now you see why it is important that you give us any and all cooperation we need," said Johnson."Now, we really must be getting back to work, so if you don't mind…"

"Just a damn minute," said Milton."This story of yours, along with that golden necklace, just might have been manufactured.And even if it's not, you still haven't told me why you're holding the girl."

"We have yet to discover her part in this plot," said Johnson."If she's innocent, then you have our assurances that she will be released back to you promptly.We have no intention of doing harm to her."

Right then Alex couldn't help scanning Johnson's mind, just to see if he was telling the truth._He_ _wasn't_.They were going to inject her with chemicals to make her tell them everything she knew, and when they were done, they were going to kill her, and probably the Milton fellow as well.

Alex opened his eyes and looked down.He was suspended upright in metal restraints, which looked pretty strong.Just as he began to wonder how easily he could break free, he sensed the presence of the ghost again.Then, from out of nowhere, he heard a grizzled voice say, "Sir, he's awake."

All three men looked over with shocked expressions on their faces.Johnson exclaimed, "This is unfathomable!The serum should have kept him out for at least three more hours."

"You want me to sting him again sir?" asked the grizzled voice out of nowhere.

"Who's saying that?" asked Milton, nervously looking around.

"There's no need Kurt," said Johnson."He's restrained."

"Who are you talking to?" asked Milton, in a still more nervous voice.

Barns sighed, "De-cloak Kurt, there's no point in it now."

With a deep and echoing sound, a tall ghost soldier suddenly became visible, standing only a few feet away from Alex.The ghost soldier had an odd looking long black rifle, with a long silver barrel.As soon as the ghost was visible, he aimed his weapon at Alex's head, and winked at Alex with a smirk.

Alex rolled his eyes.He looked up at the three men and said calmly, "Well, it's obvious that you want to talk to me, otherwise I'd be dead."

"Yes, we have a _lot _to talk about Mr. Reeve, or whatever your name is," said Barns."But first," he turned to Milton and said, "this needs to be done in privacy sir."

"I want to see the girl," said Milton."I don't trust you with her."

Alex looked up at Milton and said, "You're a good man, I can tell.But don't worry about Eliza; I can take care of her from this point on.You don't need to put yourself in danger."

Barns laughed loudly, and Johnson and even the ghost gave a chuckle at Alex's words.Barns laughed, "Just how the hell are _you _going to protect anyone?"

Alex looked around the metal room he was in.He briefly scanned the minds of the men in front of him, except for the ghost, and got the layout of the building.It was a series of corridors, with about thirty or so marines on duty posted throughout, as well as a few auto guns.In the room he was in, there was one auto gun, and the ghost soldier, but seemingly no other danger.

Alex ignored Barns's question and again spoke to Milton, "Just go.If you make yourself too much of a problem to these people, they'll eliminate you."

Milton hesitated, looking at Alex.And for a second, Alex sensed that Milton was perhaps a bit smarter than he was letting on.Milton seemed to understand something in Alex, and he said, "I suppose I'll be taking my leave for now."He turned and started walking out, but he called back over his shoulder, "but nothing had better happen to that girl!"

Once Milton was out of site, Barns turned to the ghost and said, "Take care of him later, just as we discussed."The ghost nodded.

Then Barns and Johnson turned to Alex.Barns started to speak, but Alex quickly said, "I don't trust you with Eliza.Bring her here."

Barns laughed, "What makes you think that you're in any position to make demands?"

Alex smirked and said, "Because you contacted your superiors, and they ordered you to find out why I have protoss technology.They're _very_ interested in protoss technology, and so you'll be needing my cooperation if you don't want to be executed for failure."

Barn's humored expression turned to a cold glare and he said, "So you can read our minds, so what?That doesn't mean that we're going to bow down to you.You're in restraints, and at our mercy, so we can just _make _you cooperate."

Alex laughed, a long and drawn out laugh.He knew it was making his captors uneasy, and that was just what he was counting on.He knew they only truly understood one emotion: _fear_.He decided to capitalize on this knowledge of them.Finally he stopped laughing, but still kept a confident haughty nature as he said, "It doesn't matter that you have me restrained, I can take my own life at any time.I never had any of the surgical procedures done to my brain, _and _I was trained by the protoss.You can't imagine what my mind is capable of now."

He could tell that both Barns and Johnson were panicking now, even though their faces remained calm.He knew the order Barns was about to give, and he said, "It won't do you any good.If you tell the ghost to tranquilize me again, I'll take my own life before my eyes get a chance to roll back in my head."Alex smirked and said, "Tell me, what will they do to you if you let that happen?I know about the chips in your heads, the ones that _all _intelligence officers have implanted.You're thinking about the chips right now, I can tell.They can be activated at any time can't they?With just the press of a button somewhere by one of your superiors, the chip, which is linked directly to your nervous system, will cause a level of physical pain unimaginable.And best of all, you can't just pass out, because they deactivate that particular safety mechanism in your brain, so you just have to feel the pain until you go insane from it.Now you really _have_ to admit, that's pretty damn good motivation not to screw up."

When Alex finished speaking, Barns and Johnson were glaring at him with morbid expressions and, he noticed, there hands were trembling.He smirked and said, "Bring Eliza here…_now._" 

Barns swallowed slowly, and pressed down on his wrist communicator and said, "Bring the girl to us."

A voice came back saying, "But sir, you told us to—"

"Just do it!" snapped Barns.

Alex looked up at the ghost, who was still aiming a gun at Alex's head.Alex took the opportunity to return the wink that the ghost had given him earlier.The ghost silently mouthed the words:_fuck you._

About a minute later, the hydraulic steal doors to the room opened, and a marine shoved Eliza in.She fell to her knees on the floor.She had her hands cuffed behind her back, and she had a swollen black eye.When Alex saw this, he had to clench his eyes shut to conceal the fact that they were glowing from his anger.

She looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry!I this is all my fault."

He scanned her mind to see what she was talking about.He realized that she had suspected for a long time that he was a telepath.He remembered a time when he had unthinkingly lifted a three hundred pound chunk of steal in his lab to clear a place for her to sit.Then of course there were his unbelievable levels of pain tolerance, and just a few other things, little things.Alex realized that he had let his guard down around her, stupidly, because he was too comfortable around her.

When she had taken a strand of his hair and done a genetics test in her lab, just to be sure, she hadn't realized there was a secret program installed on all computers in confederacy medical installations.A program that sent out an alert if the computer _ever_ came across telepath DNA.Not many people knew how truly fanatical the government was about controlling psychics.

She had waited a day or so to confront him about it, unsure how she felt.That was about how long it took intelligence to make it to the planet.The call, the timing, he realized that if he had waited another hour before coming back, she would probably already be dead.

Eliza started to explain what had happened, but Alex said, "Don't worry about it.Just come over here."She stood up and walked over and put her head on his shoulder.As she did this, he whispered, "When I tell you, get behind me."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just trust me," he said.

She hesitated, but then nodded.

Alex turned to the ghost, and with a smirk, said in a clearly snide voice, "Hey buddy, I got a little itch on my nose.Do you think you could scratch it for me?"The meaning was clear, even if only to the two of them:Alex was daring the ghost to hit him.

The ghost soldier, who was already annoyed with Alex, moved forward.Alex was reading the ghost's mind; he knew that the ghost was moving in to hit him in the face with the blunt end of the rifle.This had been his purpose in returning the wink, to make the ghost mad enough to do something stupid.Alex knew that the ghost, in the back of his mind, was already extremely jealous and resentful that Alex had escaped the procedures that he himself had to be subjected to.That's why it only took a small push.

The ghost moved in, aiming just right.The blunt end of the rifle came, and at the same time, Alex snapped his restraints and shot his hands out to catch the rifle just in front of his face.He shouted, "Now Eliza," as he quickly flung the ghost back, turned the rifle forward and aimed it, and fired into the ghost's neck.The ghost fell back and went unconscious.

Just as Eliza got behind Alex, a spray of rounds came at the two of them from the marine who had brought Eliza in.In a sparkling blue tremble, the rounds bounced off of Alex's shield and fell onto the floor in front of him.Alex calmly aimed the rifle, and at just the right split second, he relinquished his shield and fired.The needle flew through the air and entered through the front of the currently exposed opening in the marine's helmet.The marine fell back unconscious from the serum.Barns and Johnson started to run, but since neither of them had any body armor; they were both easy to pick off with the needles.When he was done, he and Eliza were the only ones left conscious in the room.

Eliza shrieked, "How did you do that?"

Alex bent down and broke the restraints on his ankles and said, "Listen, there's a lot to explain."She started to back away from him nervously, and he suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

She stopped dead in her tracks.He pointed behind her and said, "The auto gun, I don't know if it's activated or not, now that I put these guys down.There was something in their minds about a brainwave failsafe, anyway you don't wanna get killed."

She gulped, "It's right above the door."

"Let me test it," he said.He walked forward, and the auto gun aimed and fired at him.After the heavy-duty rounds bounced off his shield, he stepped back, just outside of the range.Alex turned to Eliza and said, "Depending on what you wanna do, I can blow that thing up in a minute."He moved over to Johnson and found his amulet in Johnson's jacket pocket.He pressed down on it and said, "Father, I may need you to get me out of here pretty soon."

"That thing's a communicator?" said Eliza in a still nervous surprise, remembering all the times she had looked at it.

Suddenly Zosh responded, "Alex, are you in trouble with those terrans?"

As the sound came out, Eliza heard it sort of echo, perhaps not in the air, but in her mind.She also noted the way the voice said:_those terrans._She said nervously, "Who…or…what are you talking to Alex?"

Alex swallowed dryly and said, "It was my adopted father."

She stepped back and said, "Do you work for the protoss?"

"No, I don't work for anyone," said Alex."Listen, I have to get you out of here right now.You're only in danger because of me.Now there are two ways out of here, one is for us to punch through a series of heavy auto guns and at least thirty armed marines.And the other is…to let my adopted father get us out of here."

She trembled and said, "Your adopted father, he's…a terran right?"

Alex slowly shook his head.

"You fucking asshole!" she exclaimed, as sympathy for a telepath on the run turned to anger at a traitor who was probably playing her from the start.

"I'm sorry," he said."I'm not a terrorist though.My father has nothing to do with the attacks.There are two factions of protoss, and only one is fighting in this war.My father is a member of the other faction, and he—"

"Just shut up!" she shouted, half crying.

"Look, you don't have to forgive me, you don't have to like me, but I _am _gonna get you out of here, and we don't exactly have a lot of time to argue about how it's going to be done.If you let my father help, then we don't have to deal with the marines.I swear I'll take you right back here to this planet if that's what you want, and I'll never bother you again."

Just then they heard a voice come in over a speaker, saying, "What's going in there sir?Hello?"

"They're gonna come in here any second," said Alex.

Zosh came in through the communicator again, "Alex, are you there?I can warp you in at any time."

Eliza shut her eyes and said, "Alex, get me out of here!"

Alex ran up next to her and spoke into the communicator:"Zosh, I need you to warp both me and Eliza.Don't argue, this is an emergency!She's right next to me, recall now!"

The door opened and the soldiers burst in just in time to see the last traces of the swirling blue light fade away.The soldiers looked down to see the drugged needles sticking out of the four men in the room.One of them called, "Get a medic or something in here now!"

Eliza opened her eyes to find that she was standing below a giant yellow ship.She gasped and looked around, but she didn't see Alex anywhere.She looked down and let loose a scream as she suddenly realized that she couldn't see her own body.She fell to her knees, feeling her body, but not being able to see it.She began screaming, "Alex!Where are you?What's going on?"

She heard his voice call out, "Turn off the invisibility field, you're scaring the hell out of her!"

Eliza heard a low-pitched sound, and a strange sensation went through her body as inch by inch, she suddenly began to become visible again.She gasped furiously, the adrenaline coursing through every cell in her body.She looked around, and realized that she was no longer on her own world, but on a strange planet, with dark blue rock across the horizon and a blue atmosphere all around.The ground below her almost seemed to be glowing, but she couldn't be sure.

She heard and saw the ship above her begin to move to the right, Alex came up and kneeled in front of her and said, "It's alright; you're safe."

"Where the hell am I?" she snapped, still breathing hard.

"I'm not quite sure," said Alex.

"What do you mean your not quite sure?" she demanded with even more alarm in her voice.

"Take it easy," said Alex.

"Don't tell me to take it easy!" she shouted."You have no right to tell me what to do you son of a bitch!"

Just then Zosh's arbiter landed and he leaped out.He began walking towards Alex and Eliza.When Eliza saw him she shrieked and backed up shouting, "You keep away from me!"

"I just saved your life," said Zosh in annoyance.

Alex sighed, "Take it easy father, she's understandably having trouble with all of this.By the way, this is Shakuras isn't it?"

"That's right," replied Zosh."We're away from the cities and bases, but I still don't like having you here.I want to leave as soon as possible."

"Yes," said Alex."I need to get to my ship.I'm worried about Delmagoth.When intelligence finds out that I've escaped, they may blame the governor, and think he was somehow involved.The intelligence officers I left back there will likely either commit suicide or make a run for it, without explaining what happened."

"What are you talking about?" asked Zosh.

"I don't have time to explain, just take my memories," said Alex.And with that, he telepathically transmitted his memories from the time he had left Zosh on Garjin.

When it was over, Zosh sighed, "Alex, I don't like this."

"I don't know what to tell you father," said Alex."If intelligence sends forces to Delmagoth, well, I'm not about to hide while people die because of me.I've got to go back with my ship."

"Then I'm coming with you," said Zosh.

"No you're not," said Alex."My ship looks like a terran vessel, all be it an irregular one.I can probably convince the governor that I'm on his side.But if they see your arbiter, they'll probably fire on it, no matter what I tell them."

"Fine," said Zosh."But I'm keeping a lock on you at all times, and if things get too dangerous—"

"Don't warp me out unless I tell you to," said Alex."My ship can stand up to an unbelievable amount of bombardment.I should have plenty of time to tell you before it gives out, that is… if it _does_ give out.Remember, my people are at war, and they probably don't have a lot of units to spare for something like this."

Maggie, who had been silently listening, said in a quiet voice, "The soldiers…"

"What about them?" asked Alex.

She still had contempt in her eyes as she looked up at him, but at the same time, she could tell he was trying to do the right thing.She said coldly, "You don't know where the soldiers loyalties lie.Will they obey the governor, or the confederacy?You don't know. If they choose not to side with the governor, then there's no point in going back at all."

"If that's the case, then I still need to get the governor out of there," said Alex.

"You'd be risking your life," said Eliza.

"I don't want a good man to die because of me," said Alex."I couldn't live with myself."

His words, and the way he said them, surprised her, and laid to rest any ideas she had about him being some sort of protoss agent conspiring against his own people.

"Now come on," said Alex."We need to get moving."He looked up at Zosh and said, "If it's possible, I'd like an observer.I haven't had time to augment a special detection field to my ship."

"That's going to be hard right now," said Zosh."The tribes are gathering up every force they have, for the possibility of stepping into this war.I don't know if I could slip an observer out without their knowing."

"What are you talking about?" asked Eliza."Why would you need to _slip one_ out?Won't the protoss help you, if you were raised by one of them?"

Alex sighed, "I was raised in secret.My father here is the only protoss who knows of my existence."

"Does she really need to know all this?" asked Zosh.

"Who's she going to tell that would matter?The tribes?" said Alex."Don't worry about her, she's no threat to you.Besides, I trust her, even if she is mad at me right now."

"Well anyhow," said Zosh, "I'm not sure how to get an observer for you."

"You don't have to," said Alex."I just remembered that there's still the one you brought to my mother when I was little.I think it's still there.Just get me to my ship and I'll go by the old place and pick up the observer on my way back.Let's go quickly."

"Are you sure that vessel you constructed is capable of opening it's own warp gate?" asked Zosh.

"I'm sure," said Alex."I tested it several times."

"All right, then let's get in the arbiter," said Zosh.He glanced over at Eliza and said, "I suppose we have to bring _her_ along."

"Of course," said Alex.He turned to Eliza and said, "We're going to have to make a few stops, but I'll get you back safely, I promise."

"And what if you do and I'm considered a criminal because of my association with you?" asked Eliza."What then?Did you think of that when you decided to keep all of this from me?That my life would be ruined?If I'm charged with treason Alex…do you know what the confederacy _does_ to--"

"I'm not going to let anything like that happen to you," said Alex."I'm really sorry about everything.I'll find a way to make things right."

"How are you going to do that?" she asked angrily."No matter what happens I'm going to be viewed as a criminal by the confederacy."

"Look, I don't have time to discuss this right now," said Alex."I am sorry, I really-really am, but there are more pressing matters at the moment."He held out his hand and said, "We need to get in the ship."

She coldly walked past his open hand towards the ship, which Zosh had already gotten back inside of.She nervously stepped inside the small compartment, keeping her distance from Zosh.Alex got in and stood next to her, but she refused to make eye contact with him.

The arbiter lifted up, opened a large blue warp-gate, and passed through.A few minutes later they were hovering over the surface of Garjin, next to where Alex was keeping the Magreha.The arbiter landed and Alex and Eliza got out quickly.As soon as he was out, Alex called back to Zosh, "I know you're worried father, but try not to be.I can take care of myself."

"I pray you can" replied Zosh.With that, the doors to the arbiter shut and the vessel lifted up, opened a warp-gate, and passed through it.After the ship had vanished completely, Alex's amulet beeped, and Zosh came through it saying, "Stay in contact during any and all fighting.There's no need for you to get hurt, don't forget that."

"Don't worry father," said Alex into the amulet.

"How can you call that _alien_: father?" asked Eliza with contempt in her voice.

"Because he raised me," said Alex.

"Is that why those bullets didn't touch you?" she asked."Because he did something to you to make you like a protoss?"

"He didn't _do anything to me," said Alex as he started walking towards the ship._

She followed him and said, "Then what protected you?"

"My mind," said Alex."My father showed my how to use it the way that the protoss use their minds."

"Are you saying that any telepath could raise a…whatever you wanna call it…a _shield around his or herself?" asked Eliza._

"I don't know," said Alex."My mother never learned to do it, but I don't know if she was trying.I just know that _I can do it, along with a few other things."_

"What other things?" she asked.

He sighed, "The protoss use their minds as weapons.I've learned to use my mind in a similar technique to theirs."

She said coldly, "So you kill with your mind?"

"I've never killed anyone," said Alex."But I suppose I may have to today."

Just then they entered the ship.Eliza hadn't really been looking at the ship from the outside, but when she entered, she was awestruck by the sight.The dark metal was laced with glowing crystal everywhere."You built this?" she asked.

"I've been building it almost since the time I met you," he said.

"So all those times you said you were busy with work, you were here?" she asked.

He nodded, and then smiled and said, "You know, if you think about it, I wasn't really lying when I said that."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Don't try to make light of what you did to me."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You know, when I found out you were a telepath, I was really angry that you didn't tell me, but I never even thought for a single second about turning you in," she said."And when they brought me to that place, and threw me in that sell, I was more worried about _you than I was about myself.I thought that I had ruined your life.Pretty ironic huh?"_

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I worked really hard to get where I am, or where I _was I should say," she said."Now I just want to know one thing, why?What is your motivation?Your purpose?Why build a ship?Why come to Delmagoth? What agenda are you serving?I think I have a right to know what my life was ruined for."_

Alex stepped up to the controls and turned on the gravitic thrusters, and the ship rose up off the ground.He looked back at her and said, "I want to go to earth."

"Earth?" she exclaimed in surprise."Why?"

"Because maybe I could find help there," said Alex.

Eliza rolled her eyes and said, "Alex, have you _read any history books?Earth sent us away.They're filled with prejudice, especially against your kind…telepaths.You think the people on earth are going to give a rat's ass about __any of us out here?"_

"Maybe," said Alex."I don't know.It's been centuries since our ancestors left.Who knows what's been going on back on earth?Maybe they've changed.If there's a chance, then I have to try, because maybe I'm the only one who can.This ship can open it's own warp-gates, like a protoss ship.I can get back to earth in a matter of minutes."With that, Alex entered in the data and the ship opened a blue warp-gate in space, which they passed through.

As they passed outside of the physical universe, Eliza sighed, "Alex, don't even think about going to earth.It's stupid and dangerous, and if they get their hands on you and they see what you can do, they'll probably kill you and dissect your body."

"Who knows, I may not live long enough to try," said Alex."I didn't tell my father because he would have tried to stop me, but I may end up surrendering myself to the confederacy."

"Why the HELL would you do a stupid thing like that?" demanded Eliza.

"Because it might end up saving lives, like yours for example" said Alex."Like I said, I don't want any good people to die because of me.If I surrender myself to intelligence, then they'll have no reason to attack.And all I have to do is tell them that I was using you without your knowledge, and they won't have a reason to arrest you."

"But you'd be killed!" exclaimed Eliza.

"I've been ready to die at any time since the moment I decided to return to my people," said Alex."And like you said, _this is all my fault."_

"You're being stupid Alex," said Eliza."You're not going to surrender yourself to anyone, understand?"

"It's really not your decision," said Alex.

"Oh is _that how it is now?She demanded."__Just shut up Eliza, is that how it is?"_

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and said, "You know, for a genius who can build a ship like this, you're pretty damn stupid."

He peered at her, starting to enter her mind to try to understand her.She glared at him and said, "Keep out of my head!I know when you do it now.Just knowing that you _can do it has opened my eyes to what the strange feeling I always got, when you looked at me that way, has been all along.You stay in your own damn head, understand me?"_

"Fine," he said.

Just then they exited from the warp-gate, back into the physical universe.They were hovering next to the cave where Alex had lived for so many years.He looked at the image of it in the view screen, and allowed himself a few seconds of quiet nostalgia.Then he sent out the telepathic call and the invisible observer came towards his ship.In it's level of psychic resonance, he could see it's image in his mind, though he knew that Eliza couldn't, and through the view screens, she couldn't even detect the blur that the thing emitted while in motion.

"It's with us," he said.

"What's with us?" she asked.

"The observer," said Alex."I'll need it just in case I _do _end up fighting, and I have to go up against cloaked ships."

Eliza peered at the many view screens around her.With so many cameras around the massive vessel, there was practically not an inch of air around them not being monitored."I don't see it," she said.

"It's invisible," said Alex.

"Well, if you say so," she grumbled.

Alex sighed and flipped on the warp-field generator, and another blue warp-gate opened in front of the ship.They started to pass through it.For the first time, Eliza looked at the computer screens that Alex was peering at.There weren't any letters, only a strange formation of symbols that she couldn't even come close to recognizing.

"Is that protoss?" she asked, pointing to the symbols.

"Yeah," said Alex."Protoss computer systems are more advanced than terran, and their writing system is a lot more logical than ours."

"You sound like you're in love with their damn culture," she said.

As they passed outside of physical space again, he looked back at her and said, "The protoss society has its problems, just as ours does.Their government, the conclave, has greatly underestimated the terran race.They would have arbitrarily destroyed many terran worlds just to get at the Zerg, because they viewed our people as insignificant, and not worth trying to help or work with.They've committed many sins against our people for the mere reason that we're not just not important enough to factor into their decisions.They've paid for that arrogance, for our military is quite a bit stronger than they believed, and we've actually defeated the protoss in our share of battles."

"Was your _father_ part of any of that?The killing?" she asked.

"No," said Alex."Like I said, there are two factions.My father is part of a small group of protoss called the dark templar, who were cast out of protoss society.They have nothing to do with the conclave's arrogant actions.They despise the conclave."

Just then the ship passed out of the warp-gate, and they were hovering over Delmagoth, about three miles from their city.Alex landed the Magreha on a large open patch of grass.He turned to Eliza and said, "Wait here for probably about an hour.By then I'll know what's going to happen, and I'll transmit a signal to you." He held up his amulet and said, "I'll be able to communicate with the ship with this.Just stay in here and you'll get my transmission when it comes."

She ran up to him and exclaimed, "You're not going to just walk in there are you?"

"It's ok, I know what I'm doing," he said.

"Alex, don't do this," she exclaimed."I forgive you for everything, don't go getting yourself killed on my account or anyone else's, please!"

He smiled and said, "Trust me, I can take care of myself."With that, he raised his shield and bent the light around it, making himself invisible.Eliza gasped.Alex called out, "Trust me, I really can take care of myself.Now stay inside the ship until you get my transmission."

"Alright," she said nervously, being completely shocked by Alex turning himself invisible before her eyes.

Alex ran quickly through the terrain back to the city.When he got there, he heard the end of a transmission coming through a loud speaker or something, loud enough for the whole city to hear.It cut off, and then started up again.Alex recognized the governor's voice saying, "Citizens of Delmagoth, our colony is following the example set by Arcturas Mengsk, and his forces.We are breaking away from the confederacy and becoming an independent colony.There are transports on standby for any citizens who do not wish to take part in our breakaway.Whoever wishes to leave may do so, but the transports will be leaving in a short time, so all of your decisions must be made promptly.I am confident that our secession can succeed, and any who wish to be free of the confederacy's oppression are invited to stay and take part in this historical battle."

"Crap!" shouted Alex.He guessed that the intelligence officers must have committed suicide and the governor had figured out what that meant for him and his people, and was making preparations.Alex went visible in an alleyway and dashed to a telescreen, where he got the location of the planet's capital from the database.He ran at top speed through the streets, not caring that people were seeing him move so quickly.

He made it to the capital building, a tall structure made mostly of concrete.He ran up to the door and a guard pointed a gun at him and said, "Just stay right there sir.We're not allowing visitors at this time."

"I'm really sorry about this," said Alex.And before the soldier knew what was happening, Alex moved in with incredible speed, snatched the gun out of the soldier's hands, and hit him in the forehead with it, knocking the man out.

He turned to the doors, which were made of a strong and thick metal alloy.He could tell that they were hydraulically controlled, and from the look of the small screen in front of him, they would only respond to the correct access code.Alex sighed and telepathically reached out with his mind to make sure that no one was standing behind the door, and then he let loose a psionic blast from his right hand that ripped the thick metal doors apart.

He went invisible and ran inside the structure.He could sensed the governor's mind and could tell that the man was above him, probably on the second or third floor.He started running quickly towards the stairs he saw across the hall when an auto-gun came up from the floor panels and fired on him.The round bounced off his shield, but another one came quickly, and Alex could tell that his shield couldn't stand up to too many rounds from such a weapon, and he didn't have enough energy built up yet for another blast.He didn't have time to do too much thinking, so he charged in as fast as he could at the auto-gun, taking two more hits as he came.He made it to the thing and gripped the shaft of the gun and used his psionic strength to crumple it in his grip.He backed up as the auto-gun tried to fire again, and blew itself up in the process.

He dashed quickly up the stairs to find another auto gun in the hallway of the second floor.Still not having enough energy for a blast, he ran in and snapped the base of the auto gun with a hard kick, this time taking three more hits.By the time the second gun was down, he knew his shield was almost completely depleted.He sighed in annoyance.He ran across the hallway to a large set of closed doors, which to his relief were made of wood.He could sense that the governor was on the other side of the doorway, and that there were at least five others with him.

Alex could tell that the governor was frightened, as he was aware that the capital had been breached.Alex knew that the door wouldn't be opened for him, and he wasn't sure how much time he had to explain himself.He ran up and kicked the doorway open, and inside a huge office, he saw the governor, and two other older men backing up, and four marines aiming guns around.Alex stayed invisible and moved in.

When Milton, the governor, saw the blur coming at him he shouted, "Don't just stand there men, fire!"

"We can't sir!" shouted one of the marines."Our fuckin targeting systems won't let us!"

Alex moved in and snatched the guns out of the marines' hands one by one, and they were helpless to do anything but try to run as he did so.He snapped three of the four guns in half, and kept the last one in his hands.

Then, he went visible in front of Milton.When Milton saw Alex he gasped, "You!"

"That's right," said Alex."I've come here to help you."

"You have a funny way of showing it," said Milton.

"I wasn't sure you'd talk to me to me if I came in with my arms raised," said Alex."I'm prepared to surrender myself to you, but not before you hear what I have to say.Now I know you've called in marines to this place, call them off please."

"Will you kill me if I don't?" asked Milton.

"It's very much within my power," said Alex."But no I won't.I came here to help you."And with that, Alex handed the gauss rifle to Milton and said, "I need you to trust me, so I'll trust you first."

Milton took the gun up in his hand, and then peered at Alex very carefully.After a few seconds he said, "Call off the men."

"Sir!" shouted one of the marines.

"Just do it," said Milton."It's obvious that he could have killed me if he wanted to.I don't think I'm in any danger here.Now all of you get out, I want to hear what this young man has to say."

One of the old men said, "Sir, I really must protest to this."

"Your protest is noted, now please leave," said Milton.

The marines and the elderly men grumbled as they exited the room.When they were gone, Milton faced Alex and said, "You're certainly no normal young man.When you told me you were going to protect the girl this morning, even though you were in chains, you were so confident that I found myself almost believing you could actually do it.Tell me, is she alright?"

"Of course," said Alex.

"That's good," said Milton."I couldn't stomach the idea of intelligence torturing or even murdering one of my citizens, especially an innocent seventeen year old female medic of all people."

"I know," said Alex, "which is why I came back here to help you."

Milton peered at Alex and said, "Before I hear what you have to say, I'd like to know something.I read a report about a female ghost soldier named Maggie Reeve making a run from the confederacy about sixteen or seventeen years ago.It was reported that she was killed, but I've come to know that not every report the government makes is on the level.She was reported to have headed into what we now know is protoss territory.Now this is just a shot in the dark, but given your age and last name—"

"She was my mother," said Alex.

"I thought so," said Milton."Your mother is quite famous on my little colony.You have no idea how many of my citizens have tried to make a run for it, following hers and a few others examples.More than a few of my citizens have actually succeeded, though that fact has been covered up by me so as to protect them."

Alex looked at Milton and said, "You believe that I'm affiliated with the protoss and you're still willing to talk to me?"

"Pretty stupid leadership huh?" said Milton."Perhaps I'm being stupid, but I'll tell you my thinking:These people are looking to me to protect them, and for some reason that I can't comprehend, they're putting their faith in me, enough to stand with me against the confederacy.And you know what?I'm afraid I'm going to let them all down; it's been my greatest fear since I took this job.So here you are kid, bringing this revolution upon me before I'm ready.I suppose I could hate you for that, but maybe _that _would be stupid leadership.You're obviously an enemy of intelligence, and hence, you're an enemy of the confederacy.And you know what they say:_the enemy of my enemy is my friend._You seem to be involved with the protoss in some way, but I don't believe that they've twisted you against your own people, not after I saw the genuine concern in your eyes over the girl.They _said_ that you were a _spy_ for the protoss, but what tactical information could you possibly be gathering from my little colony?A spy would be on Tarsonis, not on some backwater little world like this.Given all of that, plus the fact that you proved in here that you could kill me if you wanted to, I don't think you're a threat to me, protoss or no protoss.So I'll listen to whatever you have to say, but make it quick, I have a battle to prepare for."

"That's just it," said Alex."There's no need for a battle.I'll give myself up to intelligence if that's what you need me to do for you to save your people."

Milton gasped, "Are you serious?"

"Of course," said Alex.

Milton studied Alex for a minute or so silently, and then said, "No I don't think so.If this hadn't happened I would have revolted against the confederacy within six months anyway.I've been planning to do so for a long time, in secret.All the marines that have been trained here; I'll tell you a secret, I haven't allowed the Neural Resocialization process to be inflicted upon any of them.I don't believe in the technique, even if it does make for better soldiers._My citizens will be free as long as I draw breath_, that's been my secret oath from the time I took this job.You're a brave young man for offering, and your obviously very intelligent and resourceful if you've managed to escape out of a guarded intelligence installation without a scratch.So no Mr. Reeve, I'm not going to let you throw away your life for me.If you'd like to fight in the battle though, I'd welcome any help.And somehow, I get the impression that _that_ was your plan B."

"You're a smart man," said Alex.

"Me?" muttered Milton."No, I'm just some idiot who's probably about to get himself and his people killed."

"I have a powerful ship," said Alex.

"I _assumed_ you had something," said Milton.

Alex had to chuckle, for Milton really was a shrewd and intelligent man, even more than Alex had guessed when he first met the man.Alex could tell that Milton would make a very valuable ally if they both managed to make it through the coming battle.

"I'm sorry I got you into this," said Alex.

"Bah!There's no time for such feelings," said Milton."Now if you're going to bring a ship into this battle, you'd better have it linked to our command grid quickly."

"Sorry," said Alex, "I can't do that.It runs on…protoss computers."

Milton started laughing and said, "You know Mr. Reeve, if we make it through this then you're going to have to tell me your life story.Anyhow, I guess it doesn't matter.My commander is brilliant, but everyone makes mistakes.It might be good to have a craft working independently, especially a powerful one.But I may have a bit of trouble getting my men to cooperate with a protoss vessel."

"It's not a protoss vessel," said Alex."I used a Behemoth Battlecruiser as my base, and just started adding on protoss technology.It looks like a terran vessel, though it's sort of shaped like an egg with arms."

"Hah!" laughed Milton."Well, bring it in, I'd like to see it.Where do you have it hidden?"

Alex hesitated before answering, taking a few seconds to scan Milton's mind just deep enough to know whether the man was planning any sort of betrayal.When he found no signs, he felt almost guilty for checking, seeing how much faith Milton was willing to show in him.Alex replied, "It's about five miles west."

"Alright," said Milton."I'll have a ground car take you."

When they walked down to the doorway, Milton looked at the torn and charred metal.He looked at Alex and said, "You must be a read pro kid.That was three solid feet of the strongest alloy known to man, and somehow you seemed to have managed to blow it up without harming anything else.What kind of precision explosives did you use?"

"Uh, I'll tell you some other time," said Alex.

Milton spoke into a wrist communicator, and a few minutes later a ground car pulled up in front of the two of them.Milton walked up to one of his men and retrieved something and tossed it to Alex.Alex caught the small metallic item that he immediately knew was a wrist telescreen."Keep in touch Mr. Reeve," said Milton.Alex nodded and then jumped in the back of the car and told the driver where to go, and about fifteen minutes later they were in front of the Magreha.

"Holy crap!" shouted the driver as he looked over the ship."You're gonna use this thing to help us?"

"Of course," said Alex.Alex pressed the crystal button on his amulet and said, "Alright Eliza, it's all worked out.I'm right outside and everything's safe.Come on out."

A hissing sound erupted as the hydraulic doors on the side of the ship opened up.Eliza slowly stepped out, peering nervously at the driver of the car, who happened to be armed.

"He'll take you back to the city, somewhere safe," said Alex.

She walked up to Alex and said, "What's going on?"

"War," said Alex."The confederacy is coming, and I'm going to help defend these people."

The driver stepped forward and held out his hand, saying, "Ma'am, if you would."

Eliza ignored the soldier and said, "Alex, are they here?The confederate troops?"

"No," he said."But of course we have no way of knowing when they'll arrive.It could happen very suddenly.You need to be in a safe place."

The soldier spoke up again:"Miss Stevenson, let's get you to the stronghold."

"Hold on," she said.She walked up and hugged Alex extremely tightly, and said in a voice filled with worry, "Don't you dare get killed!"

He sighed, "Do you still forgive me?"

"No," she said, "but I'll let you make it up to me if you live."A tear ran down her face and she said, "So you better not…die, or else…" she broke off, unable to finish.

He smiled and said, "Then I'd better live, because your forgiveness is the most important thing in the universe to me."

The soldier rolled his eyes at the outpour of emotion, and he groaned in annoyance when Alex and Eliza kissed.When the two finally released one another, the soldier sighed in relief and said, "Miss Stevenson, we really must be going."

She nodded, and slowly got in the car.

Alex watched as they drove off, and then he got back in his ship.The second he was inside his mind snapped back to the matters at hand.As many tests as he had done, and as confidant he was in his work, the fact still loomed over him:_The Magreha had never seen actual battle before_.He began to flip on the status and diagnostic computers, while at the same time, going over the five long months of work he had put into the ship.Whether those five months were ill spent or not, he would soon find out.He went over the special modifications he had made, wondering just how stable they really were.He would soon know if his work would hold up under fire, and not just in simple controlled tests.

Even though the computers gave perfect readings on every system, he pulled the SCV out of the back of the ship and just went around tightening, strengthening, and even polishing the metal in his nervous obsession.

Finally, after about an hour and a half, Alex got the call from Milton, two words:"_They're here_."

Milton stood nervously in front of a long row of view screens.Barkley, the elderly man on his right said, "Sir, do you think your terrorist friend will really come to help us?"

"Yes I do," said Milton."I'm _actually_ arrogant enough to believe that I can tell what's in a man's heart just by talking to him and looking into his eyes."

"And what is in _his _heart sir?" asked Barkley.

Milton aloud himself a small smile and he said, "That boy's just like me: he's naïve enough and _crazy_ enough to believe that he can actually change the world, for the better."Milton's smile faded as he peered back at the screens.He said, "But we can't worry about that boy right now."

Barkley nodded and said, "Yes sir.Now…" he paused, the micro-computer/transmitter/receiver in the back of his skull began to inter-work with his brain.From it, he could instantly transmit instructions to any soldier, any unit, or any building."Sir, we have confirmed twenty seven Behemoth Battlecruisers…twenty nine now.There are also thirty-six confirmed wraiths, fourteen Arclite Siege Tanks, and eighteen Dropships carrying an undetermined number of ground forces.I'm continuing to use the ComSat Stations…ah, the sweep has revealed that they have located the mineral and gas deposits on grid 52x by 39y."

"Excellent," said Milton."Are our ghosts in place?"

"Yes," said Barkley."But I would prefer to wait on the nuclear strikes until they've allocated a larger number of their troops to defend their ground base."

"_You're_ the commander," said Milton."I'll just stay out of your way."

"Please sir," said Barkley."You're an excellent tactician and I value your input."

"My _input_ eh?" said Milton in a tone filled with suspicion."The men and women here have put their faith in me, and it's only right that I face the danger along side them.I'll be taking my battlecruiser out now."

"That's what I was afraid of sir," said Barkley.

"I know," said Milton."And please don't be telling me that you value my _input_ when I'll your trying to do is keep me alive.You're a good friend, but I'll get angry if you try something like that again."

Barkley pleaded, "Sir, there's no need for you to—"

"Of course there's a need," said Milton."They need to see _me _out there.They need to know that _I'm _not just using them like the confederacy.If I just sent them out and hid in safety, what kind of a leader would I be?"

"A living one," said Barkley.

Milton laughed and said, "Oh Barkley, I have too much faith in your abilities to be thinking about _that_."

"I always said you were an idiot," said Barkley.

"Hah!" grunted Milton as he exited the room.

Milton got into his Behemoth Battlecruiser and lifted up into the air.

Barkley returned his attention to the screens and his units and buildings.Another Scanner Sweep revealed that the base had been set up, and five of the Battlecruisers, nine of the wraiths, and three of the siege tanks had been set up to protect the base."

"That's right you bastards," said Barkley, "just keep thinking that you're gonna take _our _recourses to use against us."He made sure that all of his ghosts were properly positioned on the rock flats above, and then, he gave the order.

Inside the base, Barkley knew, they would be seeing three laser dots, and the confederacies commander would be hearing the standard alert:"Nuclear launch detected."

Barkley watched as the SCV's and the soldiers began scrambling to get away."Not gonna work fools," said Barkley."The choke's being targeted too, there's no escape.You shouldn't have set up a row of bunkers like that, now you can't even get out."Barkley counted down out loud, and when the nukes came down, he enthusiastically shouted, "Kaboom!Kaboom! Kaboom!Ha-ha-ha-ha!"Then he shifted one of his screens to communicate with Milton's battle cruiser and said in a triumphant voice, "Sir, they're cut off.They can only attack with what they have…at least for now."

"Excellent work Barkley," said Milton."Now don't get cocky, from what you've told me of what they've already got here, we're still in a lot of trouble.Too bad this didn't happen three months into the future, when we would have had a fleet of our own."

"Yes sir," said Barkley, agreeing with Milton's comment.On the entire planet, there were only sixteen actual warships, and the rest of the air compliment was purely transportation.They lacked the capability to build starports with their current planetary clearance.Barkley had studied countless battle reports, and he knew even without them, that large enough fleet of Battlecruisers could plow through an almost unlimited number of marines, which was Delmagoth's main force.There were Goliaths, but not enough to stand up to the number of Battlecruisers they were being met with.Barkley knew his only chance was the ghost soldiers.He possibly had enough of them to neutralize the bulk of the opposing fleet with Lockdown rounds, but only with the absolute best of timing could such a strategy possibly work.

_If only we'd had more time to prepare_, thought Barkley to himself.

Barkley quickly returned his attention to the section of the city that would most likely be attacked.He had a vast and intricate series of missile turrets set up, but it was such a large area to cover, and the planet wasn't particularly rich in resources to build an unlimited amount.

As Barkley saw the blue sparkling enemy sweeps around his city, he knew that his enemies knew:It was a perfect target.The buildings were scattered, preventing his ground forces from being able to move easily to wherever the enemy chose to attack.He knew that only the most dull-witted commander would miss taking advantage of something like that.

He sighed, "Damn sweep technology!"He realized that he would have to take the fight to his enemies, which was risky, considering that it would leave his bases unprotected.And he also knew that even if everything went perfectly, which it certainly wouldn't, he would lose so very many men in the battle.It sickened him.

He gathered up all of his forces, placing the ghost soldiers in the middle, making sure they had all been fitted with cloak suites._If only we'd had more time,_ he thought again._We're not ready for this._He had to suppress the emotion, for he knew from experience that it would cause him to make mistakes.Still, it was difficult to shake the feeling: _We don't have a chance in hell._

__Then, out of the southwestern corner, he received a transmission, "This is Alex Reeve; I'm joining the battle sir.Please transmit your battle data through this frequency."

As Barkley stared at the very odd looking ship, he sighed, "Ah what the hell, Milton seems to have faith in this kid."He transmitted the gathered data through the frequency and then said, "Well kid, why don't you just go join the main force."

"Negative," said Alex."I'm going ahead."

"What?" exclaimed Barkley. "Do you have some desire to die quickly?"

"I know what I'm doing," said Alex.

"Whatever kid," said Barkley, "I really don't have time for this, do whatever the hell you want.We'll give you a funeral if we win."

Alex smirked, and then his face disappeared from the screen.Barkley was just about to take his eyes off the craft, when his eyes suddenly widened.It was bigger than a battlecruiser, but it was moving with the speed of a wraith, maybe even faster."Such a shame," said Barkley to himself, "that whatever technology this kid has come up with, is about to be blown into little pieces."

Alex headed in quickly.He had sent his observer in ahead of time, knowing it would take far longer to cross the battlefield than his ship.It was almost to the enemy while he was back at the other end of the city, but in only a short time he was catching up.

  
From his battlecruiser, Milton saw the strange ship pass quickly by him, and he curved a smile up and said, "Damn kid, what the hell did you build?"

Alex made sure that he was next to his observer, and then he rushed head long to the enemy.He centered in on one of the Battlecruisers and sent every one of his modified interceptors at it before the enemy even knew he was there.It took only a short time and then his target was reduced to shrapnel.The enemy was quick after that to begin firing.As the lasers and missiles hit his shield, Alex knew it was time to move away.He turned to the left and flew at top speed, and just as he had planned, every ship gave chase.

After a few seconds, the Battlecruisers broke off, the commander evidently having figured out that they could never catch the strange ship, but the wraiths continued to follow him.This was also as Alex had planned.He knew he had to be careful, he wanted to draw out the chase long enough to build his shields back up a bit, but not draw it out so long that the enemy commander would give up the chase.After about fifty seconds, Alex circled around to meet his observer, and then he stopped dead in the air.

From his station, Barkley saw this and uttered, "What the hell are you doing kid?"

Alex's face came up on the screen quite suddenly, and Alex said, "I'm going to borrow a few of your goliaths, but only for a minute or so."

"Huh?" uttered Barkley.Even though the statement was ridiculous, Barkley found himself shifting his eyes to his goliaths.Quite suddenly, in a massive bluish spiral of some sort, they vanished.He got a signal a second later from across the grid, one of the goliath operators saying, "Sir, what the hell's going on?"

Just then flying blurs that told of wraiths came at their position.Barkley instinctively started to send a Scanner Sweep to reveal the cloaked vessels, but they became translucent before he did so.The goliaths, having targets in front of them, set aside the feeling of confusion and began attacking, and Alex's ship fought with them, with his metallic interceptors flying and firing about.

Alex's ship moved in front of the goliaths to take the brunt of the fire.In less than thirty seconds, all thirty-one of the wraiths that had followed were wiped out.Barkley could scarcely believe his eyes.The only thing that was allowing his mind to accept what he had seen was that Milton had said something about the young man having a ship with protoss components.

From his communications array on his ship, Milton heard the cheers of his men as they watched on their mini-screens how so many ships had been taken out so quickly without a single loss on their side.Milton sighed quietly, "Excellent Alex, very excellent.But the Battlecruisers are the _real_ danger."

Alex looked at the readouts on his computer screens.Five minutes, that was how long he needed to land the ship and make repairs with his SCV, along with the time it would take to replenish his shields, his khaydarin core energy, and replace the interceptors he had lost.

Barkley looked down and saw his three ghost soldiers near the resource section die, almost simultaneously.He barely had time to see the three wraiths and a battle cruiser that had done it before his view of the area went gray."Dammit!" he shouted.He knew that if the enemy got a hold of the resources there, that the battle was over hands down, no matter what tricks the strange young man had up his sleeve.He also knew that he didn't have any other units in a position to get to the base they would be setting up.

He _had_ to try something, so, he elected to call the strange young man.He sent a communication while at the same time, scanner sweeping the area.He said, "Mr. Reeve, if you will take a look at grid—"

"I see it," interrupted Alex."I felt it when your ghosts died.They can't get to those minerals.I'll clear the area for you.Get some SCV's and a few siege tanks together, and I'll warp them in when I'm done, and you can set up turrets there."Barkley nodded and ended the transmission.

Alex grunted, "Shit," wishing he'd had more time to repair and replenish before attacking again.He flew in quickly, having already at least replaced most of the interceptors he had lost.Just before he arrived Barkley scanned again, and Alex's screen showed where the four ships were, along with the group of about fifteen marines.

He took out one of the wraiths almost instantly, and he watched as the other two came at him.He kept his ship hovering over the top of the mountain, so that the marines couldn't get close enough to fire.The two wraiths that came at him only manage a shot each before he blew them out of the air.The battle cruiser started to come at him, but he was quite confident that he had it represented very little threat to him.But then he looked down and saw that the SCV below was continuing to construct the command center.At first he thought this was due to carelessness of the enemy commander, but quite suddenly the realization came to him, he sensed an enemy ghost near to him.But the realization came too late, he started to ask Barkley for another scan, but right then the lockdown round came at his ship.The gray static field started to surround his ship, and he barely had enough time to open the hydraulic doors before his vessel was completely disabled.

He ran and leaped out of the door, noting as he fell that he was lucky this had happened over a high mountain flat and not over low ground, or else the fall would have probably killed even him.He raised his psionic shield and let it absorb the impact from the twenty-meter fall.As he hit, he heard a "Twang" and he felt and saw his shield vibrate from a bullet, which he knew had to have come from the ghost.

The impact from the fall had heavily drained his shield, and he still didn't have any body armor.He couldn't see the ghost, but he knew vaguely where it was.Right then the battlecruiser came at him.He knew he had only a split second to save his life.He gathered up all of his psionic energy and sent a blast at the huge ship, ripping in apart in a violent explosion.

Barkley, Milton, and nearly every other soldier on the field were all watching their screens at that second, and the amazing sight stupefied them.

Alex didn't take time to marvel at his work, for he knew that the trained ghost soldier wouldn't either.He bolted away as fast as he could, but he took another shot as he did, which depleted the last ounce of his shield energy, leaving him without the ability to turn invisible.He ran as fast as he could, but the rock flat cut off to a narrow cliff.Alex desperately searched for some kind of cover, but found nothing, and off in the distance, he could see the blur of the ghost soldier coming at him.Alex reached for his amulet, to ask Zosh to warp him out, but found that it was no longer around his neck.He realized it must have come off during the fall.Adrenaline began to course through Alex's body as he realized: _There's no way out of this.I'm going to die out here._

Alex shut his eyes, remembered the dark templar philosophy:_Meet death bravely, for this is the last chance for honor to shine through._

He opened his eyes to look at his killer calmly, when all of a sudden, the blur formed into a translucent shape.He saw three laser blasts fire at the ghost soldier, whose body ripped apart.Alex looked up to see three wraiths and a science vessel above.

He heard static come through his wrist telescreen, and he looked at it.Milton came through, smiling and saying, "What?You thought you were fighting this battle alone?"

Alex laughed, and suppressed the adrenaline surge within his body.He said, "Thank you sir."

"I'm not really sure how you did that thing with the blue beam," said Milton, "but I can tell you're even more useful than I guessed.Far too useful to let die."Right then a dropship moved in overhead, and set down four SCV's."Let's get that ship of yours fixed," said Milton.

"No good," said Alex."Your SCV's don't have the programming to repair my ship.Just back me up.I need about three or four solid minutes and then I'm back in the fight."

The face of one of the wraith pilots came through below Milton's, saying, "Sir, we can clear the area now that you've taken out the air units.Just repair your ship, and have it ready, because backup may be coming to this area real soon."

"Thank you," said Alex.

"Thank _you_," said Milton."You've already done more than I could possibly expect from any _thirty_ soldiers, and the battle's just begun."

Alex had one of the wraiths carry him back up to his ship, and when the lockdown field rescinded, he landed the Magreha on the rock flat and pulled out the SCV and quickly began repairing the ship.Meanwhile, the enemy marines below had been taken out and the SCV's began setting up missile turrets.__

Alex had his ship back up to optimum levels within two minutes.Right about then was the time that eleven battle cruisers came slowly flying in.Alex dashed into his ship, lifted off, and immediately emitted a stasis field burst, and four of the Battlecruisers were caught in blue crystal like absolute pockets of space-time.Alex then immediately sent all of his interceptors at one of the Battlecruisers, while transmitting a message to Barkley:"Have those SCV's keep building turrets!"

Alex managed to destroy the first of the Battlecruisers with little damage to his own ship, but upon destroying the second battlecruiser, his shields were almost depleted again.But more and more turrets were coming up.And all of a sudden, the Battlecruisers turned away and retreated.A minute or so later, the four Battlecruisers came free of the stasis field and, even though they were being fired upon, they turned and retreated instead of fighting.

Barkley came in over the communicator, "Their commander has given up on the resources, which means he's probably going to attack with everything he's got very quickly."

"Keep scanning and keep track of where his troops head," said Alex."Your plan will work if we do it just right."

"My plan?" muttered Barkley.

"With the ghost soldiers and the lockdown rounds," said Alex.

"That's right, Milton said you're a telepath," said Barkley almost in annoyance. 

"Anyway, all we have to do is give the Battlecruisers enough targets in front of them and they won't be able to concentrate on your ghosts," said Alex."I can freeze a few of their ships in space time like I did over here.As many as eight with a full charge."

"There's another possibility," said Barkley."They have only two science vessels among their entire fleet."

"I see," said Alex.

"And I've located their ComSat station," said Barkley.

"So if we take out all of these, then their entire fleet will be completely unable to detect cloaked units," said Alex.

"Correct Mr. Reeve," said Barkley."Now…ah yes, the ComSat has just been destroyed by our marines.Now, I believe I know how to get at those science vessels."

"Good plan," said Alex.

"STOP READING MY MIND!" shouted Barkley.

"Sorry, it's just faster this way," said Alex."And it _is_ a good plan, I'll meet the ghost soldiers."

"Alright," sighed Barkley.

Alex circled around the enemy fleet and met the large group of ghost soldiers, whom he hovered over.They slowly moved all together to right next to the fleet of Battlecruisers that were moving in.There were about twenty-five Battlecruisers left, and there were about fifty-five ghost soldiers.As Alex hovered above them, he marveled at their discipline, which he could sense from each of them.

They came up alongside the fleet and Alex and his ship hung back.All of the ghost soldiers cloaked and they began to run in one at a time and fire lockdown rounds at the Battlecruisers _one at a time_.Barkley conducted them like clockwork.Then it came, the enemy science vessel to scan over the cloaked units.Alex moved in quickly and sent all of his interceptors at the science vessel, though to his dismay: five of the ghost soldiers were killed before he accomplished his goal.

Alex immediately turned around, taking heavy fire before he got out of range of the Battlecruisers, but he took comfort in watching all of his attackers from behind be hit by lockdown rounds.Barkley came through, "They're sending the other science vessel I think, you have to take it out."

"No good," said Alex, "in this condition my ship wouldn't make it to the damn thing."

"NO!" shouted Barns."We don't have anything else that can make it in their either.I don't want to lose it like this, not when we've come so close in absolutely impossible odds."

Alex sighed, "I think we can still win this.Keep your ghosts doing what they're doing.I'll take care of the science vessel when it comes."

"How?" muttered Barkley.

"You saw what I did to that Battlecruiser," said Alex.

"Right," said Barkley in a somewhat confused voice."Ok, have one of the ghosts give you his cloaking suite."

"Uh…I have my own," said Alex, not wanting to explain the dark templar technique under the pressing circumstances.

Alex jumped out and went invisible and ran into the group of ghost soldiers.He couldn't see them, but he could see inside his shield, down at his wrist telescreen, which had projections of the soldiers where the ghosts were standing over the terrain.He watched as battle cruiser after battle cruiser was hit by lockdown rounds, and off in the distance, he saw the massive group of marines and goliaths readying to come in and destroy all the disabled ships.

Finally the science vessel came in, and twenty ghost soldiers became translucent around Alex, along with himself.The lasers fired in, and the bodies around Alex ripped apart.Those screams would haunt him for many years to come.He let loose his furry from their deaths in the form of the psionic blast at the science vessel.So intense was the blast that it ripped through the science vessel and made it to a battlecruiser right next to it, which also ripped apart.

With the last detector gone, the ships were effectively blind against their cloaked attackers.Not a single of the slow moving vessels was fast enough to escape, and they were _all_ disabled.The ground forces moved in and destroyed the ships incredibly fast.Here and there a ship came out of lockdown only to be put back in instantly.And the enemy was annihilated. 

Where there had been no chance in hell, they had succeeded, and Alex had been the difference. This fact was not lost on any of the soldiers.Though he pleaded for them not to, they picked him up on their shoulders and paraded him back to and throughout the town.By the end of the day there were a hundred stories circulating around about Alex, anywhere from him being an escaped genetic experiment of the confederacy's, to him even being a magical being sent to protect them from on high.But there was no question about it; he was a hero to the people.

That night, after having had to go invisible to make it past all of his fans, he sat down to have a victory dinner.Milton and his wife were there, along with Barkley and his wife, and just so he didn't feel alone, Alex brought Eliza.

Milton stood up and made a toast, "To Alex Reeve, hero of the people."

"Oh dammit," sulked Alex.

"Hah!" laughed Milton."So our special young man dislikes his new status?"

"Oh man, people have been running up and grabbing me and having their holographs taken with me and everything," said Alex. "It's ridiculous, and besides, we don't know how long before the confederacy attacks again."

"I don't think they'll attack again at all," said Milton."They've learned their lesson when it comes to _this _world.And besides, they have their hands full, and I seriously doubt that they have any forces left to spare over a small colony that they don't really need in the first place.No Alex my boy, this is the time to be happy, to celebrate!"

"How can you celebrate when nineteen of your men died today?" asked Alex.

Milton peered at Alex for a few seconds and then said, "You're thinking that they died because of you.Because if you hadn't caused this dispute, that those men wouldn't have died, is that right?"

Alex nodded solemnly.

Barkley broke in, his voice speaking with authority, "Let me tell you something Mr. Reeve, when Milton and I began to make our plans to revolt, we projected our losses in the hundreds, perhaps the thousands.Nineteen is a truly AMAZINGLY small number.And I want you to know that what these people are saying is true, without you, this all would have failed."

"If you say so," said Alex.

"I'm not just saying that to make you feel better," said Barkley."You're a telepath…read my mind."

Alex rolled his eyes and said, "It doesn't matter.I know that people die in war, I'm not stupid; I've just never seen it before."Alex stood up and said, "I don't think I'm hungry anymore.I'm gonna go work on my ship."Alex walked quickly out of the back, so as to avoid the crowds, and Eliza went running after him.

Barkley rubbed his forehead and said, "I wish there was something we could do for him."

"Don't worry about him," said Milton."This will only make him stronger in the end.You'll see Barkley, he'll be just fine."

--To be continued

**Did the battle come out ok?I usually write things small scale, like 1 on 1, so I wasn't sure how to do a battle.Tell me what you think please people.It's been really cool getting the reviews and the e-mails about this story, and I want to thank everyone for their time and interest.I'll be seein ya.**

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